Thorns Have Roses
by Codee21
Summary: "We can complain that roses have thorns, or rejoice that thorns have roses." Rose Weasley and Albus Potter befriended Scorpius Malfoy on the Hogwarts Express, and for better or worse they've never regretted it. A story of the unlikely new Golden Trio's friendship and the obstacles they face in their Hogwarts years- hexes, death, and even romance- as well as the things they gain.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Sadly, I own none of these characters, places, or magical references, so please give credit where it's due- the fabulous J.K. Rowling.

Updates: I'll be updating as often as I can, probably once a week- I've already written a few chapters. That being said, I AM a college student, so please bear with me!

Story: The plot begins immediately after the Epilogue, and is told from Rose's POV. I might change the rating later, but that being said this is **not** a porno, sorry (Just like _Harry Potter and the Cursed Child_ is "Not. A. Prequel.")

Please review, and I hope you enjoy!

 **Chapter 1**

 **First Year, Part One**

The train rounded a corner, and all at once Rose lost sight of her parents on Platform 9 ¾. Her hand, like Albus', was still raised in a gesture of farewell through the nearest window; she withdrew it slowly, reluctantly, because doing so meant that she really had left her family. Well, not all of them, she thought as she reached down to squeeze her cousin's palm. There would be many members of the Potter-Weasley clan attending Hogwarts this year, and she knew that with their guidance she would adapt quickly. The question now was whether any of them would deign to share a compartment on the overcrowded train with two first years.

Twenty minutes later, she had her answer: a resounding no. Each family member Rose and Albus had passed, most of whom were easily identified by their red hair, either had no room to spare or, as in Fred and James' case, refused on principle (even though they were only second years). As they reached the end of the train, when they had all but given up hope of finding seats, Rose glanced into the very last compartment and saw that it was vacant except for one small, pale, blonde boy whom she recognized from the platform. Although she knew her father would have preferred for her not to associate with Scorpius Malfoy, she could see no way to avoid the interaction and doubted he would hold it against her if it was limited to this single occasion. Moreover, her arms ached from pulling her heavy belongings along the entire length of the train, and more than anything she wanted to sit and rest. Still, she hesitated.

Albus finally interrupted her thoughts, reading them with his usual uncanny precision. "Uncle Ron hates Draco Malfoy, not his son; there's a difference. Or at least, there should be." In his mind that settled the matter, and without further ado Albus pulled his heavy trunk and nervous owl into the nearly empty compartment. Through the glass, Rose watched to see how the probable future Slytherin would react. Much to her surprise, the Malfoy boy's face lit up into a smile after a few moments of conversation with Albus; the expression transformed him, erasing all trace of resemblance to his father's white, pinched face.

Encouraged by this, Rose opened the compartment door. As if on cue, she heard her name being spoken as she entered:

"-my cousin Rose-"

Al broke off as he heard the scrape of the sliding door and turned to her as he sat across from Malfoy. He smiled just as the other boy's expression grew wary.

"Ah, there you are. Rose, this is Scorpius Malfoy; Scorpius, this is Rose. She won't bite, I promise."

Rose, who hated it when Albus spoke for her, muttered under her breath about making promises he couldn't keep. It was an empty threat, however, and Scorpius seemed to sense this. The wide, genuine grin she'd viewed through the window returned for one brief moment before once again collapsing into caution. Curious, Rose stepped toward him and held out her hand.

"Nice to meet you, Scorpius."

After a moment's pause, Scorpius shook her hand.

"Pleased to meet you."

She sat down next to her cousin. She could see Scorpius was on the verge of saying something, and he had that odd guarded look on his face again, but before he could overcome his hesitancy, Albus made a comment about blubbering humdingers; although Rose had heard this same joke from Lysander Schmander only last week, it helped defuse the strange tension she sensed coming from Scoripus and laughed gratefully. The trio continued to talk as the scarlet Hogwarts Express wound through the countryside, slowly getting to know one another beyond their surnames.

* * *

"Another Weasley?" The Sorting Hat's voice filled Rose's mind as she sat on a stool in the Great Hall of Hogwarts. "The Burrow hasn't run out of you yet, it seems. Most of them belong to Gryffindor, and you'd do great things there as well…"

Rose held her breath.

"…but that's not what you want, is it? You want to make a name for yourself beyond your family's bravery, hmm? Well, you're ambitious enough to be a Slytherin. And your quick compassion and loyalty to those you care for makes you a promising candidate for Hufflepuff."

Rose blushed. Her gaze flitted to the Ravenclaw table decorated with blue and bronze hangings, where Albus was sitting, looking hopefully up at her- and so was Scorpius, she noted with a bit of surprise. Gone was that peculiar look of uncertainty he'd seemed to have around her on the train; she only hoped it would last- she rather liked him, and wondered what it would be like to be his friend. The boys sat next to one another on the long bench, the inky black hair of her cousin startling next to the near-white blonde of Malfoy's.

It had been shock enough when Scorpius Malfoy, son of Draco, grandson of infamous Death Eater Lucious and relation to countless other dark wizards, had been sorted into Ravenclaw before the Sorting Hat had even come to fully rest on his head. Whispers of a Confundus Charm rippled across the Great Hall but soon quieted. Albus came next, and rather than soothing the crowd with a quick placement into Gryffindor as was expected, he sat on the stool for five minutes and twenty seconds, becoming the first Hatstall since Peter Pettigrew and Minerva McGonagall before him. Finally, he was sorted into Ravenclaw. For a solid two minutes, the Great Hall was pandemonium. It seemed that although both Scorpius and Albus had to fight to leave the shadow of their families, more was demanded of Albus in carrying on tradition.

"Well, you certainly have your mother's brains, and you've become wise beyond your years. You're well-suited for both Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, and although I must advise you that the best decisions made for the wrong reasons can have their own consequences, I think you'll certainly reach your potential in RAVENCLAW."

The last word became a shout, audible to the rest of the Hogwarts assembly. Once again there was a commotion, but Rose didn't give two knuts about what any of them thought or expected of her as long as she was able to sit with Scorpius and Al.

* * *

Rose sat at the top of the spiral staircase of Ravenclaw Tower, tears streaming down her face. She had only been at Hogwarts for three days, and on her first try to enter the common room by herself after getting kicked out of the library at curfew, she'd been unable to answer the eagle doorknocker's riddle. More time had passed, and as the hour grew later and Rose grew more tired, she became progressively more upset. Hadn't she, after all, convinced the Sorting Hat to place her in Ravenclaw against its better instinct? It had wanted to sort her into Gryffindor; she could certainly defend others, and herself- growing up in such a large family had necessitated it. But Ravenclaw? What had made her think she could be a Ravenclaw? She couldn't even answer a stupid, most likely simple question posed by an animated object. Rose loved her house, with its spacious common room that she could sit and read in without anyone teasing her about being a bookworm, their intriguing ghost the Grey Lady, the other first years she considered to be her friends… but thinking of them was exactly what had gotten her into this spot, wasn't it?

Rose was about to start circling all over again when she saw a shock of platinum hair emerge at the bottom corner of her view of the stairs. A moment later, she was able to identify the individual it belonged to- Scorpius. Hastily she stood and dried her cheeks with the sleeve of her robe, although she knew that her red eyes must make her attempt at subterfuge a lost cause.

Caution filled Scorpius' face when he caught sight of her, as per usual. Rose quickly snapped at him "Why do you keep **looking** at me like that?" Scorpius ignored her question. "Are you okay?" She nodded unconvincingly, looking down at the hem of her robes. He eyed her, and then his gaze flitted to the eagle-shaped bronze doorknocker guarding their common room. Understanding filled his features, and he stepped up to the door to grab the knocker firmly in his hand before letting it fall with a thud. The eagle's eyes opened and its soft, musical voice spoke:

"If a tree falls in the Forbidden Forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"

Scorpius thought carefully for a moment before answering, sounding unsure.

"Yes? Because it could be detected by a Supersensory Charm, couldn't it?"

"Good deduction," answered the eagle before to door swung open to admit them. It was empty, which was unusual since most Ravenclaws preferred to stay up late studying. Rose followed Scorpius and sat next to a window that gave a beautiful view of the Black Lake during the day.

"Thank you," she said quietly, embarrassed, looking out the window although it was much too dark to see anything.

"I'm just glad I could answer it- this would have been my second time getting locked out if I hadn't."

Rose was thoroughly shocked. "Really? But the Sorting Hat put you into Ravenclaw immediately!"

Scorpius shrugged. "That just means I like to learn- I certainly don't know everything. The doorknocker is supposed to make you think about things you haven't already."

"I guess I hadn't looked at it that way." After a pause, she added: "that makes me feel better about being a good fit for Ravenclaw, at least. I've been so worried that I made the Sorting Hat put me in the wrong House- it said I would do just as well in Gryffindor, but I don't want to be just like my family."

"Nothing wrong with that- if it had wanted to put me in Slytherin, I'd have asked not to- there's already been enough Malfoys in Slytherin. It's time to shake things up a bit."

"I feel the same," said Rose. She bit her lip. "I'm not sure my family will agree, though. I haven't told them about the Sorting yet. Al and I persuaded James, Fred and the others to keep quiet for a bit- they weren't too pleased either."

"I haven't written my family," said Scorpius. "I've been too nervous. Maybe tomorrow, we can get Albus and the three of us can send out our owls together?" His voice climbed slightly higher at this question, as if he was nervous about how it would be received.

She nodded. "You still didn't answer my question. Why do you look at me like that sometimes?"

He responded with a sigh. "You're just not what I was expecting, Rose Weasley. My dad respects Al's dad, grudgingly, and he thinks your mum is brilliant…"

"But he never liked my dad, did he?"

Scorpius shook his head. "He doesn't particularly care for any Weasleys, really." Malfoy at least had the decency to look ashamed at this. "The war changed a lot of his opinions, and it's not that he's ever talked badly about your family…"

"What exactly were you led to expect?"

"Irate. Loud. Prejudiced against purebloods, with good reason. And very, very red."

Rose snorted. "We do tend to have a bit of a temper- Nana Weasley says it comes with the red hair. And we are loud- every Christmas at the Burrow we sound like a stampede of hippogriffs. As for the prejudice-" she shrugs. "Your lot hated us for so long, what else did you expect? Although I'd like to think we're moving past those things…" she bit her lip. "Dad wouldn't exactly be happy if he knew we were friends."

Scorpius' face lit up with the same smile she'd noticed when they'd met, and she realized that up until this moment he hadn't quite trusted that she considered him a friend.

And so it came to pass that a Potter, a Malfoy and a Weasley sat at the edge of the Black Lake after their lessons the next day under the shade of a large old oak, making out letters to their families.


	2. Chapter 2

Hey guys! Sorry, I meant to post yesterday, but I got out of work much later than I'd expected. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own _Harry Potter_

 **Chapter 2**

 **First Year, Part Two**

Although Hagrid may have anticipated that Rose would join Albus on his visit that Friday, she thought it was fairly certain to say he hadn't planned on having Scorpius Malfoy for tea as well. As it was, Scorpius insisted that he wanted to finish the Potions essay they had just been assigned before venturing out of the castle, telling them it was rude to keep Hagrid waiting on his account and that he would just catch up when he was done. Rose saw through his efforts, but didn't want to push him. Still, she thought it was stupid and unnecessary.

Rose relented that Scorpius' plan may have, in fact, been wise after Hagrid spit out a mouthful of tea when she and Al told him the name of their closest friend at Hogwarts. After using a tablecloth-sized napkin to dry his beard, and after assurances that the youngest Malfoy was a paragon of wizardry and a perfect gentleman, Hagrid relented and agreed to welcome the boy when he came.

When Scorpius arrived a few minutes later (realized I'd forgotten several properties of moonstone and wanted to ask you two first), he was jumped and slobbered on by Hagrid's new pup Saber. This was a good sign, as Hagrid often trusted his animals to be keen judges of character, though whether or not this was true was not exactly clear considering his fondness for creatures that would prefer to bite than cuddle. Scorpius was determined to make a good impression, trying to be charming and humble and funny and respectful all at once. He was so jittery that he was somehow able to knock over an entire tray of rock cakes, which Rose and Albus had only been pretending to take nibbles from for fear of breaking a tooth. After cleaning up the mess without magic and apologizing countless times, his place in Hagrid's good books was secured, and he was invited to join Albus and Rose for tea in his hut every Friday.

Hagrid couldn't stop chuckling as he watched the threesome make their way to the castle, until their heads were no more than specks of black, white and red. "Well who woulda though'?" he kept repeating to himself.

* * *

On Sunday morning, their three owls soared into the Great Hall side by side at breakfast time, only several inches between the tips of their wings. Circe, Rose's great white snowy owl, landed in her porridge. Albus' tawny owl Paracelcus (often shortened to Pear), upended the milk jug, creating a white flood that surged down the Ravenclaw table until Rose mopped it up with a simple cleaning spell. Orion quietly landed in front of Scorpius, giving his grey feathers a dignified ruffle before sticking out his leg, which bore a scroll with writing in emerald ink. After each owl had been relieved of its burden, they helped themselves to their masters' breakfasts, which had been completely forgotten.

Without a word, the trio headed to the Black Lake, and upon reaching its shores headed to the oak tree to read their correspondence privately; the thought of abandoning the other two in order to read the letter in isolation, however, did not cross any of their minds- not even Scorpius, an only child who had only met his companions a week ago.

Rose's envelope contained two sheets of parchment. The first was from her mother:

Dear Rose,

Congratulations on your Sorting and on completing your first week of classes! Hugo, your father and I are all very proud of you. I've heard Ravenclaw Tower is a beautiful study spot, and I'm sure you'll take advantage of it and all else your house has to offer. On that note, it would great it if you could send me some of the riddles to enter your common room every once in a while- you know how I do love puzzles.

Best of luck sweetheart, and we can't wait to see you for the holidays!

Love,

Mum

The second was a letter from Hugo:

Dear Miss Smarty Pants, (I'm so glad Nana and Papa Granger taught me that one!)

You just had to give me more to live up to, huh?

It was a bit of a shock to Dad at first, but now he can't stop telling customers about his brilliant Ravenclaw daughter. He's driving people out of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes by the boatload. I hope you're proud of yourself.

It's too quiet around here without you to bicker with. Please write.

Love,

Hugo

P.S. The Chudley Cannons are in third!

Rose let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding. Mum's letter, while loving and thoughtful, wasn't nearly as effective as Hugo's in convincing her of her family's happiness with her Sorting. She almost laughed aloud when she pictured her father gloating about her to the customers, following them around the store as they attempted to stock up on Puking Pastilles and Extendable Ears. She turned to Albus, about to tell him the joke, until she looked past him and realized that Scorpius had become even paler than usual.

"What did they say?" Rose asked him quietly. He handed her the parchment; she could feel Al leaning over her shoulder as she read:

Dear Scorpius,

Thank you for informing us of your Sorting. Though Ravenclaw does not have quite the same prestige as Slytherin, we support you in your endeavors and expect you to do well in your studies. It will be your responsibility, however, to tell Grandfather Lucius about your divergence from Malfoy tradition and convince him that the Sorting Hat did not make a mistake; I expect you to send him a letter soon so he has time to adjust before the holidays.

Your mother wishes me to inform you that she will be knitting you several blue scarves and sweaters, and inquires as to whether you require matching socks.

Regards,

Father

"Does he always sound so… cold?" Rose asked.

"Not quite this much," answered Scorpius. "Though I guess this is the first letter I've ever gotten from him. I'm surprised Mum didn't write me, actually."

"Well, he didn't sound thrilled, a bit sarcastic maybe, but at least he seemed alright about it. And it wasn't a Howler."

Scorpius shook his head. "I'm not safe yet. I still have to write Grandfather. He'll probably come here to yell at me in person."


	3. Chapter 3

Surprise! I couldn't wait a full week to post, so here's the next chapter early! Thank you so much for the follows, favorites and reviews- they mean a lot and inspire me to keep writing.

Just a quick reminder that I do in fact, own Harry Potter….

…. J.K., I'm not Rowling.

Sorry, I love horrible jokes and I've been sitting on that one for awhile. Without further ado, here's the next chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

 **First Year, Part Three**

Fortunately, Lucius Malfoy did not make an appearance at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He did not send Scorpius a Howler either, much to the surprise of the three friends (though none of them had admitted their fear out loud). Instead, he ignored his grandson's correspondence. Scorpius would have worried that Orion had dropped the letter, a suggestion the owl's proud feathers surely would have bristled at, if not for the response he eventually received from his grandmother:

Scorpius,

Your mother, father and I are trying to convince your grandfather to see you over the holidays. As it stands, he claims he will refuse to leave our wing of Malfoy Manor as long as you reside there. I'm sorry it's come to this; I know you couldn't help where you were sorted. We'll try our best.

Sincerely,

Narcissa Malfoy

After rereading the short letter half a dozen times, Scorpius wordlessly handed the parchment to Rose. She quickly scanned the page, becoming upset on her friend's behalf. Mr. Malfoy's reaction, while not unexpected, still confused her. Although she had been worried about telling her family she'd been placed in Ravenclaw rather than Gryffindor, she never could have imagined this as a possible outcome. Did it really take that little for Lucius, who seemed to have valued his family above all else at the end of the War, to lose affection for his only grandchild? Her eyes found Scorpius'. What must he be thinking right now? She reached out and wrapped him in a long, comforting hug that he neither fought nor returned. The boy sat, stunned, not used to physical affection beyond the occasional pat on the shoulder from his father and quick kiss on his cheek from his mother's cold lips.

Al looked up from his book to pour himself more pumpkin juice when he caught sight of his two best friends and stared; he had been too absorbed in his reading to notice Orion's arrival or the silent exchange that had taken place.

* * *

Scorpius was distracted for the rest of the day after receiving his grandmother's letter, which Rose and Albus attempted to conceal from their professors. In Transfiguration, which they had with the Gryffindors, they were instructed to pair up and take turns changing a matchstick into a needle. Since this was Al's top subject, he thought it best to work with the preoccupied Scorpius. This left Rose to find her own partner. She spotted Gregory Ollivander from her own house sitting alone in the corner, but as she attempted to cross the classroom her path was blocked by a tall Gryffindor girl. Smiling, the girl walked up to her. "Do you have a partner yet?" Rose glanced to the corner again and saw Gregory sitting with Mary Parker, so she shook her head. The girl sat down in the empty desk to their right, leaving Rose space to sit between her and Albus.

"I'm Andrea Sterling, but you can call me Andy."

Rose nodded. "Rose Weasley."

Rose was worried that she would have to spend extra time in class helping her partner learn the spell; she had been practicing in the common room with a few older students last night and had already mastered today's lesson. This had been why, at least in part, she had wanted to work with Gregory- he often read ahead in their texts as well, and he picked up on things fairly quickly.

It seemed that Rose's concerns were unnecessary, however, as Andy proved to be a fast learner. After a few attempts, the Gryffindor managed a perfect transformation, creating a silver needle that sparkled in the torchlight and earned her house five points. Once Rose had repeated the spell a few times, playing around with creating needles of different sizes and materials and earning a few House Points in the process, it seemed there was not much else to do other than talk to her partner.

"So you're a Weasley- your family was involved in that war, right?"

Rose blushed profusely. "Yes, well, we don't talk about it much. Mum and Dad get a lot of attention because of it, it makes going places really embarrassing." Rose's expression grew more serious. "Mum got hurt- she still has a scar on her arm. And my uncle died."

Andy's voice grew quiet. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up. I'm still trying to learn wizard dos and don'ts- I'm a Muggle-born."

Rose relaxed. "No, it's okay. I can explain some things later, if you'd like. Class just probably isn't the best time."

"Of course."

The pair were silent for a few minutes. Rose turned her head to check on her cousin and friend. Scorpius, it seemed, was still having trouble focusing. The head of his matchstick had become rather pointed, however, and Albus was in the process of praising and encouraging him. Rose thought absently that her cousin would make a great teacher.

"So Andy, what do your parents do?"

The girl gave her wand a half-hearted wave, turning three matches into three golden needles of varying size. "Dad's a medical malpractice solicitor. Mum went to university, but now she stays at home to raise my brother and I. Michael's sixteen, and he's as ordinary as they come. Honestly, I'm surprised you know Muggles can have different jobs- most students in our year seem to think they just drive around in cars all day."

"My mum's parents are Muggles. They used to be dentists, before they retired. And how did they react when your Hogwarts letter came?"

Andy rolled her eyes. "Dad gave me a hard time, but he does that with everything. Mum was thrilled. Michael teased me to no end; not in a mean way, though."

Rose nodded. "I have a younger brother, Hugo. Sometimes I think annoying me is his only satisfaction in life."

Rose continued to talk with Andy until the class ended. "Well, it was nice to meet you Rose! Mind if I take you up on that history lesson some time?"

She smiled. "Sure thing." Secretly, Rose was just happy she'd made friends with a girl she wasn't related to.


	4. Chapter 4

I'm sorry, I know this is a day late, but it's longer so please don't be too upset! Thank you for all of the reviews, favorites and follows! It's amazing to scroll through the views menu and see how many people from dozens of different countries have read this, and I'm truly grateful. Please continue to review, they keep me writing and help immensely when I get writers block like earlier this week.

I am a broke college student; I do not own _Harry Potter_ or any of its characters.

* * *

Chapter 4

First Year, Part Four

In what seemed like the blink of an eye to the trio, December arrived. Scorpius, though still nervous as to whether his grandfather would refuse to see him, was getting particularly good at pushing these thoughts to the back of his mind. He, Rose and Al all led their year in certain subjects: Albus had remained at the top in Transfiguration, Rose had a particular talent in Potions, and Scorpius once again defied familial expectations with top marks in Defense Against the Dark Arts. Gregory Ollivander was best in Charms, a Hufflepuff by the name of Charlie McLeod ranked highest in Herbology, Slytherin Delilah Macnair had top marks in History of Magic, and Andy Sterling was first in Astronomy. Of course, this meant that by the time the Christmas holidays rolled around there was a seven way tie for the top of the year, a Hogwarts first that pleased none of the students involved.

Scorpius surprised his two closest friends with an uncharacteristic hug as the Hogwarts Express pulled into Kings Cross. "Promise you'll write?" In these final moments, he dropped his calm façade and allowed them to see just how nervous he was about how his family would treat him. Without a second thought, Rose returned his tight embrace. "Of course," she said. "Have to make sure you don't forget about us, won't we?" As Albus turned around to lift his trunk from the overhead rack, Rose murmured to Scorpius "It's only a few weeks; we'll all three be back and first in our year before you know it."

Albus and Rose were careful to exit the Hogwarts Express from a different compartment than Scorpius when they arrived at Kings Cross; they were able to find and exit with James, Fred, Victoire, Dominique, Molly and Louis, all of whom gave the pair a pointed look but said nothing. Though both were considering telling their family, neither wanted to start the Christmas holidays off with a row; and as for Scorpius, he would have enough to worry about simply because of the House he belonged to.

Though Ron and Hugo had wanted to accompany Hermione to Kings Cross to pick up Rose, she wanted to spend time with her daughter alone, especially since she'd be at work for a good portion of the holidays. True to form, Hermione asked Rose about her placement in the class within ten minutes of the train's arrival. While Rose wasn't happy having to explain why she wasn't first in everything, she decided to use the opportunity to test the waters concerning Scorpius.

"…and Scorpius Malfoy has the top grade in Defense Against the Dark Arts. He's really very talented, and Professor Chang thinks he might even be able to cast a full Patronus by third year like Uncle Harry."

Her mother briefly made a face as she drove, which Rose was able to catch a glimpse of in the rear view mirror. "Really? What house was he sorted into?"

"Ravenclaw, with Al and I."

"Well, hopefully he won't be like the rest of his family."

"Oh no, not at all," Rose responded quickly. Apparently her response had been too fast. Hermione looked at her daughter in the mirror and caught her eye.

"Are you friends with him, Rose?"

She could only nod; the words wouldn't come to her suddenly dry mouth. Perhaps this hadn't been the best time to recommend Scorpius to her mother after all.

Hermione's eyes returned to the road and she sighed. "Well, this certainly complicates things," she spoke in a quiet tone. "I'm honestly not sure what your father will do."

"Mum, please don't tell him. Not yet."

"Well really dear, what do you expect me to do?"

"I promise I'll tell him before I go back. Just give me some time to lead up to it, and tell him myself. You know how he'll react if you spring it on him tonight. It'll help once Al tells Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny too."

Hermione sighed again. "Alright Rose."

Rose stayed silent for a few moments before speaking up again. "Mum? I think you'd like him."

Her mother met her gaze in the rear view mirror again. "You're a good judge of character sweetie, and I'm sure you're right. And it's high time we start breaking down these old prejudices- they've been the cause of far too much trouble. It's just hard to forget what the Malfoys believed in for so long."

Rose stared out the window, watching the city fade in favor of the rolling hills of the countryside. "I think Scorpius agrees with you. He said he wanted to be in Ravenclaw because it was time for a change."

Hermione paused, then spoke quietly "I think I'd like to meet him."

* * *

Christmas at the Burrow was always a large, noisy affair, filled with Weasleys' Wildfire Whiz-Bangs, delicious smells, matching homemade sweaters, and nearly thirty of Rose's closest relatives (and family friends, as was the case with Kingsley Shacklebolt). Though this created a merry atmosphere, it was also fairly overwhelming. As Rose, Ron, Hermione and Hugo stepped out of the fireplace, it soon became apparent that they were entering into the annual red and green anarchy. Fred and James were running through the crowded house, causing mayhem with a Fanged Frisbee and several dozen Super Wizard Crackers. When Hugo spotted them he eagerly entered in the chase, joining Roxanne in the procession. Lily followed behind, yelling at all of them when they knocked over a lamp or a person (which was quite often). Lucy cowered behind her slightly, rounding out the tail of the group, not wanting to get in trouble but also not wanting to be left behind. Meanwhile, Nana Weasley stood in the center of the kitchen, commanding objects with her wand and people with her voice simultaneously. Occasionally she would pause to shout at James, Fred, or one of her other grandchildren, though no one was exactly sure how she was able to see them even when her head was turned the other way. She was joined in the kitchen by Ginny, Harry, Audrey, Angelina and Fleur, all of whom scurried frantically to keep up with her orders; Victoire could be seen weaving a complicated repeating dance in and out of the action, helping to prepare dishes before sneaking off to find Teddy. Dominique, Molly and Louis gathered in the sitting room (Dominique was only a few months older but a school year ahead of the other two) to discuss all of the latest Gryffindor gossip. This earned them amused glances from Ron, Hermione (who had offered to help cook but had been quickly and politely dismissed due to her somewhat lacking cooking skills), Bill, Charlie, Percy, George, Kingsley, Mr. Weasley and Andromeda, who were jumping topics from Quidditch to wizarding affairs to Celestina Warbeck's impending retirement.

Rose traveled through all the rooms on the ground floor and began to wonder where Albus was. Just as she was about to ask Uncle Harry, however, she felt someone grab her by the elbow and pull her upstairs. Albus released her once he'd led her to Aunt Ginny's old room, checking to make sure the door was shut carefully behind them.

"My parents know about Scorpius," he burst out. "James let it slip, the idiot… I'm sorry Rose. I know we were planning on waiting 'till after Christmas at least."

She sighed. "It's alright, Mum knows too. She read me like… well, a textbook. I didn't even make it home from Kings Cross. How did they take it?"

"Pretty well, considering. They actually asked if they could meet him."

"Mum too. I can't see him telling his family anytime soon though; he said in his last letter that his grandfather might agree to spend Christmas with the rest of the Malfoys as long as no one talked about Ravenclaw."

Albus shrugged. "Guess we'll have to wait and see." He paused. "When are you telling your dad? I think you should let him know, and soon, before someone accidentally mentions it."

"Tomorrow. I'll do it tomorrow. Hopefully everyone who knows can keep their traps shut for one more night."

When the cousins exited the spare bedroom and rejoined the rest of the family, they discovered it was nearly time to eat. The pair headed outside, where a warming charm had been placed around the garden so that a table long enough to accommodate them all could be erected. Rose and Albus sat across from James and Fred, with Lily and Hugo on either side; they felt as if they were about to go deaf any moment. As soon as the adults who had been working in the kitchen started levitating an endless procession of platters and bowls, however, the garden grew quiet. Grandpa stood, and was joined by Nana Weasley when the food had reached the table, where it continued to hover a foot above its surface. Rose looked up and down the table at her smiling relatives (and Kingsley), clad in their new Weasley sweaters.

"Thank you for joining us for another Christmas- Molly and I are so happy and proud to see how this family has grown, both bigger and closer. And because I know I won't be able to get another sentence in without there being a riot- Dig in!" The trays of food all fell to the table with a thump, splashing a few soups and sauces into the faces of those in front of them, but everyone was far too busy helping themselves to care. As usual, sitting encircled by several growing males meant that Rose had to utilize her quick reflexes and pointy elbows to fill her plate, but she loved every second of it. How must Scorpius feel, she wondered, coming from such a small family?

* * *

After dessert, Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny started a family Quidditch match in the orchard, another tradition that Rose loved, while her mother and those who were not so sports inclined broke into a new bottle of spiced mead. Though the teams were formally chosen anew each Christmas, the rosters hadn't changed for years except for Teddy's replacement by Hugo and Uncle Bill's by Louis. Rose, Lily and Hugo were always Chasers on Uncle Harry's team, with her dad as Keeper, Fred and Roxanne as Beaters, and Uncle Harry as the obvious choice for Seeker. On the other side, Aunt Ginny, Dominique and Molly were Chasers, Louis played Keeper, Uncle George and Uncle Charlie were Beaters, and Albus played Seeker against his father.

She headed back to the house to pull the colored cloaks with a Heat Spell placed on them out of the broom cupboard, when she saw Orion land on the windowsill. Dropping the cloaks, Rose rushed to grab the owl's letter before anyone else in her family could spot him. Orion appeared to sense that he should not be seen, for as soon as Rose had untied the scroll from his leg he returned to the sky. Rose bit her lip as she read what Scorpius had written:

Dear Rose,

Thanks for the Sneakoscope- it kept going off this morning, which in retrospect should have given me a warning of what would happen tonight. I hope you like the Licorice Wands; I thought I remembered you saying they were your favorite.

Grandfather had apparently asked Delilah Macnair for information on me- never underestimate the pureblood information network- because when he came to dinner tonight he told the rest of my family about our friendship and broke a few pieces of Mum's china in the process. You'll be happy to know that my mother defended me; she argued with him for over an hour until she fainted- she's been very fatigued lately. Although my father and grandmother seemed less than pleased when they discovered the allegations were true, Dad started yelling once he and Grandmother had taken mother to bed, and they're still at it downstairs. Suffice it to say that Malfoy Manor is now a horrible place to live and I intend to stay in my room until school starts.

I'm sorry to spoil your holiday. Please write when you can.

Happy Christmas,

Scorpius

Rose's heart broke for her friend as she finished and reread the letter. She couldn't begin to imagine what it must feel like, not to be welcome in your own house during the holidays. Unfortunately she'd left Circe at home, Orion had already flown away, and she had no intention of sending one of her Gryffindor grandparents' owls to Malfoy Manor. She ran back to the broom cupboard, grabbed the cloaks, and headed back outside to the orchard, hoping no one had noticed how long the task had taken her. Rose need not have worried: her father was currently arguing with Uncle George and Aunt Ginny- something about an unfair advantage with the brooms. She sidled up to Al and whispered the story of Scorpius' disastrous Christmas into his ear. His green eyes grew dark, and his mouth thinned. She pulled him off under the trees as Uncle Harry and Uncle Charlie joined in the fight.

"His grandfather is awful and no one should have to spend their vacation in their room and he's our best friend so I want to invite him to stay with us for the rest of the holidays," she said in a rush as soon as they relatively out of earshot.

"I was going to suggest the same thing, actually. I'm surprised Miss Let's-Be-Rational is on the same page. Only… are you sure? Your dad doesn't even know, not to mention Nana and Grandpa Weasley."

"Don't go soft on me now, Mr. Idealistic. You're the reason I sat with Scorpius on the Hogwarts Express in the first place. I'm not pretending it won't be difficult, but… he's our friend."

Al nodded. "Alright, but I think it would be best if he stayed with me. Both my parents already know, and your dad won't have to see him until New Years at our house."

Rose agreed, and the pair left the shelter of the trees just as the other twelve Quidditch players kicked off into the air.


	5. Chapter 5

Hey everyone! As always, thanks for the favorites, follows and reviews- please keep them coming!

Sorry that this chapter is so short, I'd expected it to be longer (otherwise I'd have just made it a part of the last one) but I realized when writing it that I didn't have too much to say on the subject and the pacing needed to be quite fast to have the right effect. I'll try to post again this week to make up for it!

By definition, **broke** college students do not own _Harry Potter_.

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

First Year, Part Five

"Dad?" said Rose as she entered the kitchen the next morning. "Can I talk to you about something?"

"Of course Rosie," he said, pulling out the chair next to him at the breakfast table as he read the _Daily Prophet_. Apparently it was a slow news day, because Celestina Warbeck had made the front page again, her ten-inch high figure blowing kisses to a swooning audience as she announced her final tour.

"So Albus is hoping to ask one of our Hogwarts friends to spend the rest of the holidays with him, as long as Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry agree."

Ron snorted as he took a sip from his orange juice. "You're asking permission to stay with your aunt and uncle? You've never felt the need to ask before. As long as we know where you are and Harry and Ginny don't mind, stay as long as you'd like."

"Well, that's not quite what I was getting at..."

Her father looked at her and put down the paper. "Rosie, after nineteen years with your mother and eleven years with you, I can tell when you're nervous and know you'll do anything to avoid saying something directly. But bloody hell sweetheart, you've been skirting around whatever it is since you got home for the holidays- just come out and say it already."

Rose was stunned. Never before had her father shown this much insight. "You came to this on your own, Dad?"

"Well, I may have had a bit of help from your mother. She hinted you had something you wanted to tell me, not to push you, and to hear you out. So, I'm listening."

"Well… I'm afraid you might not approve of my going to the Potters' when you find out who the friend is… or let me return to Hogwarts, for that matter."

Ron was silent for a moment. "You've gone and befriended a pure-blood, haven't you?"

Rose slid down in her chair, attempting to hide as she uttered the name she feared would send her father into a fit of rage, "Scorpius Malfoy." After a few seconds of listening to him splutter incoherently, she dared to sit up enough to see his face. As she'd feared, it was almost as red as his hair, an Exploding Snap card ready to burst. She ducked back under the table just as he exploded. "A SCHOOL FULL OF WIZARDS AND YOU HAD TO GET CHUMMY WITH THAT GIT'S SON?!"

He pushed back from the table, knocking the chair over in the process, and stormed out of the kitchen.

* * *

Once all the excitement had passed, Rose and Al pooled their knowledge to piece together the story. It seemed that Ron, after receiving the horrifying news from his daughter, had sent an owl to the Potters. James was the first one to find the letter. He then showed it to Teddy, begging for his older cousin to cast a spell in order to read its contents without breaking the seal. Teddy did just that, chuckling all the while, and handed it over to Ginny without telling James what it said; he did inform Albus, but only to warn him since he was directly involved (and also to get under James' skin). After Ginny read the letter, angry at her brother's stupidity, she sent it to her husband accompanied by a note of her own. Harry, who had gone to the Auror Office to deal with a case on what should have been a holiday, then walked down the hall to see Hermione; she also had far too much work to take the day off, and when first handed the parchment told her friend she had absolutely no time to read it. "Trust me, you'll want to see this," he replied (or something to that effect) before leaving. Hermione, curiosity getting the best of her, pushed her work aside and read her husband's words in appalled fascination. She returned home almost immediately, her mouth set in a thin line, and proceeded to argue with Ron for two hours while Rose and Hugo listened in from upstairs. After placing several choice quotes such as "emotional range of a teaspoon" and "insensitive wart" in mental storage for the future, she wrote Al saying that it had all been settled, he'd best write Scorpius immediately to invite him, and even if he declined they'd just have to kidnap him because otherwise it would probably cause another row. Rose then made her mother a cup of her favorite tea before packing for the Potters'.

* * *

The final week of the Christmas holidays passed in a blissful blur. Harry and Ginny steadily warmed up to Scorpius, eventually extending to him an open invitation to return; even James had no quarrel with the arrangement, once he'd discovered Scorpius was a talented flier and never tired of playing Quidditch. Though Ron grumbled his way through New Years Eve, a small affair consisting of his wife and children as well as the Potters, he'd realized he was outnumbered and had no concrete complaints against the boy to defend himself. Rose was proud of her father for grudgingly accepting her new friend, and she made sure to shower him with hugs and quick pecks on the cheek as a reward. She couldn't remember having a better holiday, and Scorpius seemed to agree; though his face had been pale and wary at the beginning of his stay, by the end he seemed as relaxed as was possible while still keeping up his impeccable manners. The trio was sad to see it end, although true to their House, they were excited for classes to resume.


	6. Chapter 6

Hey everyone! This will be the last chapter for the first year, so I hope you enjoy! I'll be moving out of my apartment this week, so apologies in advance if I can't find time to write - I made sure to make this section decently long in the hopes of appeasing you all. As always, thank you for the follows, favorites and reviews!

Reminder: I do not own _Harry Potter_

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

 **First Year, Part Six**

Rose headed down to the Quidditch pitch, arm in arm with Albus and Scorpius, wearing a blue scarf around her neck and a smile on her face. It was the day of the Ravenclaw vs. Slytherin game, and in usual Hogwarts fashion, three of the four houses sincerely hoped that Ravenclaw would come out in the lead. Gryffindor had scraped a victory in their match against Slytherin in November, and Ravenclaw had handily defeated the Hufflepuff team, which was comprised mostly of third and fourth years. Although it would be best for their standings for the cup if Slytherin came out on top today, most Gryffindors couldn't seem to muster enough support for the green-robed team to wish for that outcome. It came to pass, therefore, that the rest of the Weasley-Potter clan decided to sit with the trio on the Ravenclaw side of the stadium rather than with their fellow Gryffindors.

Dominique and Louis, a 4th year Gryffindor Chaser and their 3rd year reserve Keeper respectively, had their strawberry blonde heads bent together to discuss the current state of the team rankings as they sat with their family in the stands. Fred, pleased to have been made a reserve Beater as only a second year, chimed in eagerly, as did James. Though James had not made the Gryffindor team, it was not due to a lack of enthusiasm but rather a slight deficit of natural talent compared to others in his House- the same situation had made him score keeper during the annual Christmas family game, although he played often with his cousins and siblings (and occasionally parents, when they had time to spare) whenever he could. Meanwhile, Molly quietly consulted Victoire about what sounded like boy issues; Rose wondered at the identity of the party in question, but doubted her shy cousin (though she was not as timid as her younger sister) would ever act on the feelings. She had little time to speculate, however, as she was involved in intense conversation with Scorpius and Al concerning their Defense Against the Dark Arts homework.

"Honestly, Professor Chang is being so vague. Only a foot? On **bowtruckles**? It's like asking us to summarize the War in five words or less."

"My dad killed Lord Voldemort," said Albus, smirking and counting the words on his fingers as he spoke them.

Rose rolled her eyes and turned to Scorpius, who she could see was trying to suppress a smile; it was the genuine, childish smile she had come to associate with the side of him most people didn't try to get to know. "Scorpius, you're top of that class, you know what she likes. What do you think needs to be included to get an 'Outstanding'?"

Scorpius laughed. "See, this is why you're better at Potions, Rose: everything always has to have a formula with you. Can't it be enough to write a good essay?"

"Yes, but part of having a good essay is knowing what to write."

"Well it's good you know so much about bowtruckles then. Weren't you just complaining a moment ago that you wouldn't have enough space for it all?"

"Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, that's not what I meant and you know it."

Rose would have continued to chastise her friend, and he would have teased her in return, if not for the eruption of cheers around them signaling the appearance of the players. "And here come the teams!" shouted Hufflepuff Brantley Jordan above the din of the stadium, his voice amplified by a magical megaphone; he sat in the commentor's box with Professor Longbottom, whose presence was made necessary by the seventh year's propensity to deliver biased commentary like his father before him. "Captains Chambers of Ravenclaw and Flint of Slytherin will now shake hands." The small Ravenclaw Seeker was half the size of the monstrous Slytherin beater, who greatly resembled his father both in size and attitude; her hand completely disappeared when grasped firmly by his, and she responded to his snaggle-toothed grin with a confident one of her own. When they had returned to their respective sides of the pitch, the whistle was blown, the balls were released, and both teams kicked off into the air.

The air suddenly became a whirling mess of green and blue, creating patterns in the sky that were decoded and relayed to those spectators who had less practice watching the sport by Jordan's commentary. "Isabella Spinnet of Ravenclaw has the Quaffle, passes to Ettington, who passes back to Spinnet, tricky pass to Kerridge, oh and now Slytherin's Justine Lazenby has intercepted the Quaffle with help from Beaters Flint and Pucey, with a bit of a dirty move if I do say so myself-" he was cut off by Professor Longbottom, who could not be heard but whose face was visibly stern. Brantley rolled his eyes. "Yes, well, Slytherin is still in possession of the Quaffle, Farley goes for the goal- oh, and a nice save by Ravenclaw Keeper Brian Randall. Ravenclaw now again in possession, a Bludger heads toward Ettington but is taken out by Ravenclaw Beater Alexander Inglebee, passes to Spinnet, passes to Kerridge, who gets behind Keeper Edmund Morcott, and- yes, Ravenclaw is first on the board with a ten points!"

Ravenclaw continued to score, racking up a forty-point lead to the bitter disappointment of the green section of the stadium. Rose, Albus and Scorpius were enthralled; each loved Quidditch, and they intended to try out for the team next year together. Though Rose didn't think she was good enough to earn a spot as Chaser as only a second year, Scorpius was excellent at playing both Keeper and Beater (though he would need to build up a bit more muscle to play the latter at a Hogwarts level), and Albus had a real chance of replacing seventh year Elizabeth Chambers as Seeker. Scorpius seemed to read her thoughts, and after Ravenclaw had scored another goal he turned to ask, shouting to make himself heard over the cheers around them, "Do you think that will be us next year?" Rose shrugged. "Hopefully." Suddenly, she grinned, a mischievous glint in her eye that her friend rarely saw. "But by seventh year, we'll be the most feared trio on the Quidditch pitch. We'll be the obvious favorites for the team, one of us will be Captain," and here she moved closer to speak in his ear so that her family couldn't hear, "and we'll finally take the Cup away from these Gryffindors."

Scorpius smiled, wanting nothing more than to skip to seventh year: Captain of the Quidditch team, Head Boy, and with his two best friends by his side. His family would have finally accepted him by then, not just resigned to his being a Ravenclaw but actually proud of him and his accomplishments. So, too, would the rest of Rose's family. He was beginning to hope that her cousins at Hogwarts had grown to like him, an outcome made more likely by their proximity and occasional kind smiles toward him at the game today. Her father… well, he had five and a half years to prove him wrong. And by seventh year, everything would be perfect.

Scorpius wanted to jump forward in time, and yet he knew it was better that he couldn't. Some things are important enough to wait for, made all the sweeter by the trials and anticipation and heartache of the journey taken to get there. Indeed, he knew it wouldn't be easy, that there would be obstacles and people standing in his path every step of the way. But thorns have roses, he thought, and some things are worth fighting through briars for.

And as Thomas Flint caught the Snitch, winning Slytherin the match and eliciting a wild frenzy of cheers from the other side of the Quidditch pitch, Scorpius didn't let his smile slip.

* * *

The rest of the school year came in flashes, some periods of which passed in an instant and others seemed to last forever. Fred was delighted (though with tact, rarely exhibited by him, had not shown it) when Beater Lester Rochester fell off his broom and broke his arm the day before the final match between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, allowing him to play on the team as they won the Quidditch Cup. Gryffindor won the House Cup as well, with Slytherin in a close second and Ravenclaw in third.

Rose continued to do well in Potions, and after studying obsessively out of spite for Delilah Macnair and the pain her intelligence had caused Scorpius, beat her out in History of Magic; this broke the seven-way tie and earned her the place as head of their year. Albus and Scorpius were content to keep their own spots on top in Transfiguration and Defense Against the Dark Arts respectively and earned high marks in the rest of their subjects, though their Ravenclaw natures would push them to do better next September.

James and Fred continued to cause mischief around the castle, earning themselves several detentions and even a trip to the Headmaster's office. Though Harry was less than pleased at his son's decision to follow in the footsteps of his namesake, George was happy that Fred had come to embrace the personality of his own (though did not express this fatherly pride around Angelina, who was less than satisfied by her son's reputation).

Victoire graduated from Hogwarts that year, and caused quite an uproar amongst the family when she first announced she planned on finding a place of her own with Teddy, as they were not yet engaged (though everyone was hardly surprised). Finally, after many muttered French curses about young people and the fall of modesty and propriety, Fleur consented on the condition that they must remain close to Shell Cottage and consent to surprise parental inspections. Bill was merely proud that his daughter would have a promising career in the Department of International Magical Cooperation, where she was to begin working immediately.

Rose eventually introduced Al and Scorpius to Andy Sterling, whom she continued to spend a considerable amount of time with as well. Indeed, she had made the girl promise to visit her over the summer and vowed to likewise do the same; she was sure her family, especially her grandfather, would be thrilled that she had become close with a Muggleborn and expected a barrage of questions from that quarter about cell phones and other modern Muggle appliances that her mother had not kept up to date on. Privately, she asked Hermione to use this opportunity to tell her Weasley grandparents about her friendship with Scorpius, since no one had dared yet inform them despite his visit to the Potters' over the winter holidays. As Rose predicted, the news was taken better when mentioned after her plans to spend a week in Muggle London, though she wasn't sure this would last when they discovered Scorpius had also been invited to spend time with his friends over the break.

As they disembarked from the Hogwarts Express at Kings Cross, the trio this time made no attempt to separate themselves from one another in the crowd. They could see they were drawing the eyes of many parents, whose children had apparently not kept them abreast of the recent wizard generation's gossip. The three continued to stand in a knot on Platform 9 ¾, trunks beside them, Circe and Pear screeching while Orion kept his stately air and tucked his beak into his feathers. Scorpius' parents arrived first, at first standing a bit to the side before his mother squared her shoulders and strode up to her son so she could be introduced. Draco remained aloof for a few more minutes as Astoria shook hands with Rose and Albus, until many pointed glances from his wife told him that she would punish him dearly if he continued to be impolite. Rose liked her. Harry and Ginny soon appeared, and though the situation quickly became awkward, it never escalated into impropriety. Hermione eventually joined their tense group, prompting a bit of conversation from the adults before they lapsed back into silence. Rose wondered whether her father hadn't accompanied her mother to pick her up, or if he was merely hiding so as not to be forced to shake hands with the Malfoys, but this was the least pressing item on her mind at the moment. The three friends had discovered countless vital things to say to one another that had felt unimportant or had not occurred to them during the journey back from Hogwarts. The realization had hit that they were to be separated for the longest amount of time since they'd met, even longer than the first portion of the Christmas holidays that had felt like an eternity. Finally, however, they reluctantly realized they could not continue to stand at Kings Cross until September 1st, and with one final round of hugs that seemed to take their parents a bit off guard, they parted and rejoined their families for what they felt would be the longest summer of their lives.


	7. Chapter 7

So, when I said I might not have time to post this week, clearly I underestimated the powers of procrastination. Despite having to pack and prepare for a final presentation at work (which is tomorrow, yikes!), I couldn't stop thinking about this chapter and eventually realized I'd only be able to focus on my other obligations once I finally wrote the damn thing. Hope you're happy with it!

As always, thank you so much for the comments, favorites, follows and PMs! We reached 1,000 views today, and I'm incredibly excited!

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

 **Second Year, Part One**

Of course, summer never lasts as long as we think it will, even when one is actively wishing for it to be over. Andy began her visit in the beginning of July, during which time she was frequently invited to The Burrow. Just as Rose had expected, Grandpa Weasley questioned the poor girl endlessly about things like the Internet and 3D movies, and was reduced to the pure exhilaration of a child when she gave him her iPhone to examine (though she wouldn't let him take it apart as he seemed to hope). Eventually, she left with an open invitation to stay at either house whenever she liked in the future; the entire family seemed to like her, and even Ron had slipped in a comment wishing all of his daughter's friends could be like her when Hermione was out of earshot.

As according to plan, Rose returned the visit a month later later, though it was only for a week and Andy tried to keep them out of the house as much as possible. It was large, beautiful home in a wealthy neighborhood, far nicer than Rose had expected, and yet she felt ill at ease during the entirety of her stay. She'd been warned in advance by her secretive companion that their family life wasn't the best, and although the revelation had only increased Rose's desire to stay with Andy so that she could hopefully alleviate some of the stress of being home, it seemed her friend didn't want her to know the full extent of the problems. Though her family was on their best behavior during her visit, she sensed rather than saw the effort necessary to keep up the image, and once or twice the father's composure slipped as he turned to snap at Andrea or her mother.

Instead of remaining at the house, therefore, they toured Muggle London and spent a good deal of time at the dojo where Andy had started learning Mixed Martial Arts at a young age; though Rose was hardly a violent person, she quickly came to realize the wisdom in learning to defend herself in case she was ever left without a wand, and strived to master the basic grabs and locks her friend patiently taught her. Rose was left wondering why the girl's fellow Gryffindors hadn't been informed of her hidden talent, knowing it would make the rather outcast girl extremely popular. When asked the question directly, Andy responded: "I'm alone because I choose to be; I don't trust people easily, and what's the point of spending time with someone if you can't trust them enough to tell them what you're thinking? I get along well enough with the rest of our year. The fact that I'll defend just about anyone if they need protecting probably doesn't hurt on that front. I've lost track of the number of times I've had to jinx those older Slytherin bullies when they decided to picked on another first year."

Rose paused for a moment, thoughtful. "If you try to be alone, then, why did you want to be my partner in class last year? Or start a conversation, for that matter?"

Andrea shrugged. "You have an honest face. You take the time to get to know people, otherwise you wouldn't be close with Malfoy. And I could tell you were nervous about something- he was having a rough day, wasn't he?"

Rose nodded and let the conversation drop.

The rest of her time with Andy passed quickly, and all too soon she was heading back to her own home (recently dubbed The Nest by her mother, though the name hadn't really caught on) near Ottery St Catchpole, The Burrow and the Potters'. She spent her days in the warm sun playing Quidditch with her family, reading ahead for the coming school year, and counting down the weeks on her calendar. Finally, the day she'd been waiting for arrived in the middle of August, when Scorpius was set to begin his stay at the Potters'. Just like last time, he arrived via Floo, a mode of transportation safe enough for the twelve year-old to make the quick journey on his own; though they had been civil upon encountering the Potters at the end of the school year, it seemed the thought of being offered a cup of tea and idle chatter in the home of Ginny Potter nee Weasley and The Boy Who Lived was still too much for the Malfoys. Rose stayed with her aunt and uncle, though her parents and brother surprisingly came to dinner most nights. Miracle of miracles, her father even contributed to several conversations at the table in which Scorpius was directly participating; despite the fact that these talks revolved exclusively around Quidditch and Ron refused to speak to the blonde-haired boy directly, she still felt that progress was being made.

The trio was ecstatic they wouldn't be separated until the winter holidays- Scorpius would remain with them until the first of September and accompany them to Kings Cross. Though they passed their days at the Potters' in much the same manner as they had in their own homes, filling them with broomsticks and books, it was infinitely more satisfying to do them together rather than apart. Scorpius didn't have to worry about avoiding Lucius, who would attempt to insult him whenever he was in earshot, and was excited to be with others his age besides Delilah Macnair and others he didn't quite see eye to eye with (the elder Mr. Malfoy had recently insisted on inviting Slytherins to dinners at the Manor in the hopes they would rub off on his grandson). Albus, the last one in their group to turn twelve, spent his August 25th birthday in a state of bliss as they indulged in heaping plates of Weasley secret recipe birthday cake and took turns riding his new Firebolt Supreme (broomstick of choice for the Bulgarian National Quidditch team in the 2014 Quidditch World Cup). Rose was simply content to not have to overthink **everything** for a change.

* * *

Dominique, Louis, Molly, James, Fred, Albus, Rose, Scorpius, Lucy and Roxanne all visited Diagon Alley to get their new books and supplies a week before the start of term, and were joined by the younger Lily and Hugo even though another year would pass before they would be old enough to attend school. The large group was ostensibly being chaperoned by George and Ron, but as business quickly picked up at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes due to an influx of Hogwarts students, they were soon left to their own devices and Teddy's supervision. At first, all behaved remarkably well as older family members aided Lucy and Roxanne in purchasing everything on their first-year checklist (though they had promised to wait to visit Ollivanders until at least one of their parents could get off work, as they wanted to be there to see the girls get their first wands). Once everyone in the party had gotten the necessary books and potions ingredients, the two eleven year-olds were herded to Madame Malkin's (now owned and operated by her daughter, who was married but chose to keep her maiden name), Potage's Cauldron Shop, Scribbulus Writing Instruments, Amanuensis Quills, and various other establishments. Since neither girl was particularly fond of owls, Lucy picked out a purple Pygmy Puff and called it Ruffles, and Roxanne found a black cat she dubbed Persephone. With all the necessary shopping behind them, however, the group quickly grew rambunctious. Each had their own favorite shops in Diagon Alley, and all were too impatient to wait for the others to follow them. Soon, they split into groups of twos and threes, leaving their unperturbed chaperone at an outside table at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. Red-haired mayhem soon followed (even Teddy, who'd inherited his mother's metamorphagus abilities, had turned his locks ginger for the occasion). Lily, Hugo and Louis raced to Sugarplum's Sweets Shop; James, Fred and Roxanne all but trampled those standing between them and Quality Quidditch Supplies; Dominique and Molly headed straight to Madam Primpernelle's Beautifying Potions; and the Ravenclaw trio made a beeline for Whizz Hard Books. Only timid Lucy, truly her father's child when it came to following the rules, chose to stay with Teddy, who looked on at the madness his family wreaked without a care in the world.

The scene Percy caused when he was finally able to leave his desk at the Department of Magical Transportation to accompany Lucy in getting her first wand was stuff of legend, sure to be passed down in Weasley family stories for generations to come. Though Rose, Scorpius, and Albus had been mostly behaving themselves as they eagerly browsed countless rows of books, occasionally becoming too excited about a title and shouting across the store before remembering where they were, the rest of their family had created considerably more chaos. Several displays in the sweets shop had been accidentally upended, Molly had spilled a hair-dye potion on her cousin's head and turned it a vivid shade of blue, and several brooms had somehow been set loose without riders to terrorize the customers of Quality Quidditch Supplies. Percy, of course, ensured that they were clearly and loudly informed in front of all Diagon Alley's patrons that members of their family had never caused such embarrassment. Even Fred and George, he said, had never created such a disgraceful situation. Though only Molly and Lucy were his to punish, the latter of whom looked as if she desperately wanted to borrow her uncle's Invisibility Cloak, he would ensure their parents knew what had happened here and expected them all to be severely punished. Even Teddy had the good sense to look abashed, though whenever Percy's back was turned he looked dangerously close to laughing aloud. With that, he dragged them all off to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, muttering phrases such as "why do they have to take after the twins" and "bloody joke shop" all the while. He left them in the care of Ron and George, who he also gave a piece of his mind to, before leaving to take Lucy to Ollivander's. Though Ron and George seemed considerably less concerned at their children's actions, for the good of all they sent the rest of the party home (except Roxanne, who like her cousin had yet to purchase a wand).

"I'm sorry we had to leave so soon," Rose apologized to Scorpius; with his impeccable manners, she thought he must be appalled at her family's actions. Though she usually tolerated if not enjoyed the madness of her family, she abhorred public humiliation, and to have one of her closest outside friend witness it… "My family…"

"No need to apologize." And sure enough, his face broke into his usual genuine, radiant smile.

"But with Uncle Percy-"

Scorpius snorted. "With all that yelling about 'disgracing the family', I imagine he'd get along splendidly with my grandfather."

The trio was not punished for their very small part in the day's events, though Hugo and Lily were given extra chores and James was grounded for the rest of the week. There was much grumbling, of course, but their sentences were made considerably more bearable by the date; the Hogwarts Express left that Sunday, and once James was gone Lily and Hugo were released from their duties, as both sets of parents agreed it made little sense for their penance to last longer than that of the least innocent culprit.

* * *

When they arrived at Platform 9 ¾, Scorpius was surprised to see that his parents had come to meet him. His mother hugged him fiercely and kissed his cheek, and his father reached down to ruffle his hair. "We couldn't bear the thought of not seeing you off." Though he was far from complaining, the young Malfoy was struck by how odd it was for his parents to show him quite this much affection, and he stepped back for a moment to examine their faces. Indeed, his mother's eyes looked mistier than normal, her bones slightly more prominent, and the corner of his father's mouth was drawn even more tightly than he was accustomed to seeing.

"Something's wrong," he accused. "Something happened."

Astoria's face fell, but she didn't speak a word.

After a few moments of silence, Draco embraced his wife with one arm and patted his son's head again with the other. His voice was quiet, devoid of its usual confident ring. "It'll be alright. We'll discuss things when you return for the holidays."

"But-"

"It will only distract you from your studies, Scorpius," his father said firmly, though still with that same curious tone. "There's nothing to be done at the moment. Hopefully things will clear up by Christmas… we'll inform you if things… progress, I promise."

Astoria seemed nearly close to tears as she bent down to embrace her son once more. "I love you so much, Scorpius," she whispered in his ear, rendering him speechless. And with that, they were gone.


	8. Chapter 8

Hey everyone! I'm back home for a few weeks before starting classes again, and I'll try to get as much writing in as I can before then!

As always, thank you for all of the reviews, favorites, follows and PMs! I know I'm not very vocal in the reviews section, but please know I get so excited when I open my email and see all your lovely notifications :)

I received a continuity question via PM a few days ago and thought it would be good to explain here. During the Slytherin-Ravenclaw game, someone pointed out that I'd said Flint was a Beater then by the end of the section said he was a Seeker. I'd done some quick editing before publishing that chapter, and in that process must have deleted the sentence or two explaining they were twins without relocating that important info: Thomas Flint (seeker) and Cauis Flint (beater, captain). I'm sorry, my mistake! Don't worry though, you'll see them both again later ;) And on a side note, if I've made something vague or confusing, post your question in the reviews and I'll try to answer as best I can!

Reminder: Sadly, I am not J.K. Rowling.

 **Chapter 8**

 **Second Year, Part Two**

Wearily, Rose made her way back to the compartment toward the rear of the Hogwarts Express that she'd claimed with Albus. "Where on Earth have you been?" he asked, dark head bent over a copy of _Hogwarts: A History_ he'd borrowed from Hermione, eyes not leaving the page as she slid the door open and entered. When she didn't respond after a few moments, though, he forced his gaze upwards. Unlike Andy Sterling, who prided herself on her ability to read people, Albus was not particularly perceptive when it came to most; he and Rose had grown up together, however, which allowed him to understand her easily, and now she made no attempt to conceal her concern. The boy's eyes narrowed and seemed to come to himself, glancing around the compartment, of which they were the only occupants. "Has he gone missing, then?"

"I've been up and down the train twice, with no sign of him."

As he nearly always was, Albus was optimistic, and approached the situation in true Ravenclaw fashion. "I'm sure he's fine, Rose. Look, we saw him get on the train, so he can't have been left behind at Kings Cross. He's probably just in the loo."

"Well, seeing as I'm a girl, I couldn't exactly check there now could I?" she snapped; for once, logic couldn't console her. After realizing her reaction was uncalled for, that her cousin was just trying to help, she bit her lip. "I'm sorry, there was no need for that. I'm just worried."

"Well, seeing as I'm **not** a girl, I can go check." He snorted. "And when we have the most bloody awkward conversation about why I'm stalking him in the loo, I'll make sure to mention it was your idea."

Rose sat down next to the window, briefly considering picking up her mother's book and beginning where Albus had left off, but she uncharacteristically didn't think reading could take her mind off her troubles. Instead, she stared out at the countryside on the other side of the glass as it sped past.

Albus was gone much longer than she'd anticipated. Though she had no real way of judging how much time had passed, and each moment was agonizingly long, the sky had turned several shades darker before she saw his figure in the corridor. Upon observing that a boy with a head of white-blonde hair accompanied him, she breathed a heavy sigh of relief. That relief was short-lived, however. When the boys entered the compartment, all she could focus on was Malfoy's face: paler than normal, eyes red. Had he been… crying?

Without a word, Albus sat across from her and Scorpius beside her. Hesitantly, she placed a hand on her friend's shoulder; though she was a physically affectionate person and Scorpius had grown more accustomed to hugs over the past year, he hadn't been raised that way as Rose had and when upset he tended to appreciate having his own space. Why else would he have hidden in the loo rather than seeking out his friends, after all? Still, she was complete rubbish at comforting people and didn't know what else to do besides pat him consolingly. Much to her surprise, he leaned into her, allowing her to wrap her arms around him and tuck his head under her chin. The pair remained that way for a while as Albus pretended to read his book but never turned the page.

* * *

Rose didn't pay attention to most of the Sorting Ceremony; she was too busy glancing at Scorpius from the corner of her eye, occasionally giving him awkward one-armed half hugs or murmuring soothing bits of nonsense such as "Everything will be fine," " It can't be that bad," and "All will turn out for the best." She received no answer and honestly hadn't expected one. After he'd told them what had happened on the Platform he'd fallen into an impenetrable silence. She really was horrible at consoling people; if he hadn't been so worried himself, Albus would probably be laughing at her right now.

Rose barely paid attention as the first years lined up, heard the Hat sing but paid no attention to its words, and was vaguely aware of what place they were at in the alphabet as the newcomers were divided into Houses one by one. Or at least, she thought she was. Suddenly she felt an elbow in her side and turned to glare at Albus, but he merely pointed toward the front of the Great Hall. It was Lucy's turn. Rose was struck by just how small her cousin was for an eleven year old as she sat on the stool and had the Sorting Hat placed on her head. It fell over her eyes, and she pushed it back on her forehead hesitantly. She was visibly shaking, face pale, eyes wide.

She saw several students exchange uneasy glances as they began to realize that this girl was too timid for Gryffindor and began to suspect there would be a repeat family performance in defying societal expectation. They were not disappointed. After a few seconds, the hat called out a loud "HUFFLEPUFF." Lucy jumped off the stool with record speed, taking a few quick steps toward the thundering applause of the yellow-and-black table before realizing she was still wearing the Sorting Hat. Lucy was the first Weasley to become a badger. Frankly, Rose wasn't surprised, and knew her younger cousin would do well there. Lucy was certainly no stranger to friendship and hard work, as she was often the peacemaker of their group and was used to having to go the extra mile in order to receive any positive attention. Away from the rest of their family, Lucy would have room to become herself, to grow more independent and self-confident than she had allowed herself to become. The ranks of the Weasley-Potters had now spread to three of the four houses, with the only exception being-

"SLYTHERIN."

Rose's eyes flew to the front of the Great Hall, where Roxanne had taken Lucy's place on the stool, hat placed atop her dark red curls. There was a moment of stunned silence before a round of thunderous, raucous applause broke out from the Slytherin table.

She heard Scorpius say, so quietly she almost missed it, "Well, I see that all of us will be having family problems now."

* * *

As evidenced by his reaction to his grandmother's letter the previous year, Scorpius was prone to distraction and had a difficult time concentrating when first delivered upsetting news. While the situation had been hard on him, however, his grandfather had never been a beloved figure in his young life, and news of Lucius's rejection had been immediately lessened by the support of the rest of the family. After managing to escape to the Potters' for the ends of the winter and summer holidays, he had been extended an invitation to visit whenever he desired (for by now Ginny and Harry had gotten to know the boy beyond his seemingly proud exterior and recognized he had a good heart and was often in need of a refuge from the stress of his family), which considerably lessened this burden as well. Now that he had a safe haven to which he could flee, where his family not dare follow, he was free to look on his grandfather's continued efforts to change him with bemusement rather than anxiety. Indeed, the elder Mr. Malfoy's reaction to the news that his grandson had stayed in the household of The Boy Who Lived and his blood-traitor wife not once but twice had been quite priceless, complete with more yelling, more broken china, and knives that had become magically embedded in various walls and pieces of furniture- efforts to remove them had thus far proved fruitless.

This situation was rather different, though Rose observed that Scorpius adhered to the expected pattern for the first few days. Thankfully, the first classes were generally an introduction of sorts and involved the use of less magic; it was therefore considerably easier for Albus and Rose to hide their friend's despondency from professors and classmates alike. They continued the tradition of visiting Hagrid for tea on Fridays, and though Scorpius was not as enthusiastic about the visit as he had been a week ago, the half-giant and his very large, now fully grown boarhound Saber were thrilled to see the trio. Hagrid was able to see that Scorpius was upset, and with some gentle prodding the youngest Malfoy relayed his concerns. Since the gamekeeper knew nothing about the situation, he resorted to using the same platitudes Rose had employed, to the same paucity of results.

House Quidditch tryouts took place the following afternoon. Though convincing Scorpius to attend took much exertion, in the end their efforts were well rewarded. Rose was correct in her assumption that she was inadequate to take the single Chaser's spot vacated by the recent Hogwarts graduate Maria Ettington, which was instead filled by fifth year Rachel Cornwall; she'd managed to secure the now vacant spot left in the reserve team, however, and hoped to advance to the official team after a year or two of training. She had similar aspirations for Scorpius, as he'd been offered the Keeper position on the reserve team and the current Keeper was a 7th year, Brian Randall. And Albus, though not the youngest Seeker in recent Hogwarts memory, was still sure to turn heads and cause the spread of all kinds of rumors after their first match against Hufflepuff. For once, it seemed that he was becoming what people expected of Harry Potter's son.

Now, however, Rose was offered a glimpse of a previously undiscovered facet of her friend's coping mechanisms. Though Scorpius was certainly worried for his family, it seemed that Draco knew his son better than Rose had first given him credit for; without something concrete to fret over, no facts or evidence of his family's troubles to turn endlessly in his mind, during the next week of classes Scorpius instead threw himself into his studies, channeling his anxious impulses into an obsession with any and all subjects. To an outsider, it would appear that nothing was wrong with the young boy: his grades improved considerably (though there hadn't been much room for improvement in the first place) and Rose and Albus hurried to catch up lest they be left behind completely; he correctly answered all questions asked of him in class, rose his hand frequently, and helped any student who seemed not to be grasping the material; he shone in Quidditch practices, giving his all during every session, rarely allowing any goals, and often flying his broom during what little free time he left himself. But because Albus and Rose knew their friend well enough to see past the veneer of wellbeing, only they seemed to notice that Scorpius merely pretended to eat normally, pushing food around his plate without his usual ravenous appetite. No one else saw that his sleeping patterns had changed, staying up well into the night doing extra reading and rising far earlier in the morning than he had previously. Albus even thought he heard his friend wake several times in the middle of the night, sit up with a start, then settle back down under the covers but without his breathing relaxing into the gentle rhythms of sleep. Though the cousins were justly alarmed, after conferring with one another they decided to pick and choose their battles, pushing Scorpius to eat on days which he hadn't and sleep after pulling several all-nighters, but they stayed silent on many occasions and kept their concern to themselves for fear of bushing the boy too far and making matters worse or losing their influence.

This frantic pattern lasted one month and twelve days, until mid-October. Rose had half-expected a dramatic, emotional crash precipitated by a bad score on a test or a failed save at a Quidditch goal, complete with tears and an acknowledgement made aloud that he was not doing as well as he pretended. But here, Rose's prediction was defied. Scorpius rebounded on his own, and slowly, but thankfully without the stressful spectacle of hitting rock bottom. By the end of the month, he was almost the same boy they'd spent the end of the summer holidays with, enjoying the incredible Halloween feast and laughing aloud at the antics of James, Fred and Roxanne. Though Rose couldn't remember the last time she'd seen his genuine, brilliant smile, she would take his laughter and consider it a major improvement. She didn't dwell on her apprehension that when Scorpius really had something to worry over, things could end up far worse.

* * *

Though Rose and Albus were more concerned with their friend than their family drama, they were unable to keep themselves out of the clash following Roxanne's sorting. Part of the problem was that no one had seen it coming. Yes, Roxanne could be devious, stubborn, and troublesome, but no more so than her older brother Fred and cousin James. Uncle George and Aunt Angelina certainly hadn't expected it, though after an initial adverse reaction (of which Hugo informed her in a long, detailed letter) they handled the situation with grace and supported their daughter. She suspected her mother played a large role in helping them overcome their prejudice, though she had no proof. Her father was another story. He and Uncle Percy were extremely upset by the news, and Percy even tried to go as far as to forbid his daughters to speak with their Slytherin cousin. Of course, this directive was immediately ignored by Molly and soon after by Lucy (whose sorting into Hufflepuff was viewed as a blessing in comparison); if anything, his order helped the girls and the rest of the family at Hogwarts to come to their senses and stand with Roxanne. Though Rose and Albus had never been over-fond of Slytherins, they remembered what it was like not to be sorted into Gryffindor, and this helped them to realize that Roxanne was still the same wild, spontaneous, strong, and fiercely loving girl they had grown up with. Rose wondered secretly if this new twist in the path would do anything to diminish her father's prejudices, and whether it would change his opinion of Scorpius. She thought not, but she could still hope, couldn't she?


	9. Chapter 9

Hey everyone! As always, thanks for the reviews, favorites, follows and PMs last week! Special thanks to WaterWarrior60 for her suggestion.

This chapter is a bit short, for which I apologize. I'm already working on the next chapter, and I promise it'll be much longer.

I've thrown in a bit of a less-obvious reference (not linked to last name) with respect to an original NG character. House points to the first person who gets it right in the reviews!

Reminder: I'm not J.K. Rowling

* * *

Chapter 9

Second Year, Part Three

Molly and Lucy sat Roxanne down in mid-September to tell her about their father's poor reaction. Frankly though, she wasn't surprised. The Weasley family had come to realize over the years that Uncle Percy's first instinct in most situations was to be a prat. By now, they had learned not to take it personally, especially because the War had imparted a large change for the better: once he had time to calm down and reflect, Percy would apologize if he found his actions were unacceptable. Rather than cause a fuss, therefore, Roxanne chose not to confront her Uncle until she saw him for the holidays, instead biding her time by planning what actions would best benefit her in every possible circumstance. Rose, whom she consulted, thought this was a wise decision, and helped her cousin plot reasonable reactions to potential scenarios. The young Ravenclaw only hoped, for her Uncle's sake, that he recognized his prejudiced error and apologized: Fred and James would certainly come to Roxanne's aid in an argument (although she was far from being a damsel in distress, more than capable of defending herself) and the rest of the cousins would likely follow suit. Meanwhile, she attempted to scale down some of her cousin's devious ideas; any pranks were immediately ruled out, though Roxanne's suggestion of using snakes did have a certain poetic justice. Finally, Rose believed she'd convinced her young cousin that the situation called for a mature and straightforward discussion, though given that Roxanne was George Weasley's daughter and Fred Weasley II's sister, it could not be said for certain.

Once Scorpius had become his usual self again, he was thoroughly amused with the proceedings; being from such a small and serious family, this kind of large-scale, hyperbolic drama entertained him. He had also not formed the best impression of Percy Weasley after the Diagon Alley episode, and secretly wished he could be there to witness their meeting at Christmas. Roxanne was wild, stubborn, and cunning, and he'd quickly grown attached to her in the same way one would befriend a close mate's younger sibling. He shook his head at Rose in mock confusion. "So let me get this straight. Roxanne comes from a family held in high esteem, but because she was sorted into Slytherin, your dad isn't happy and Uncle Percy went round the bend. I come from a pureblood family distrusted by all Weasleys, and most of the rest of the wizarding world depending on your perspective, but even though I was sorted into Ravenclaw your dad still hates me and Uncle Percy probably does as well. So, is it the blood or the house?"

"Well, not to defend the bigots in my family, but they went hand-in-hand for a long time, didn't they?" she replied.

"Not necessarily true. Plenty of purebloods weren't sorted into Slytherin," he replied, then began to count names off on his fingers, "James Potter, Sirius Black, Nymphadora Tonks, Neville Longbottom, the Patils, Lavender Brown-"

"Alright, I see your point," Rose relented. "Holding yourself to high standards there, aren't you? Still, besides Tonks and Sirius, their families hadn't exactly done anything to be ashamed of."

Scorpius raised an eyebrow. "Look, I never claimed my father was the best man alive, or even a decent one during his time at Hogwarts. Nor was he particularly kind to your family, which I know he regrets now. He was a git. But the part he was forced to play in the War was not wholly his own idea, and he didn't exactly have the best role models growing up. His ideas of pureblood supremacy that grandfather ingrained in him as a child have all but vanished now, no small thanks to my mum, and he never let grandfather talk about any of that with me. He greatly respects your mum, after all. People can change, albeit in small increments. At least he doesn't define himself by his blood purity and last name anymore, which I'd say is certainly a step in the right direction." He sighed.

Rose had a lot to think about.

* * *

Roxanne earned several glares from her fellow Slytherins when she chose to sit on the Gryffindor side of the Quidditch pitch for the first match of the season. There was no way, she reasoned to Rose, that she wouldn't support her brother and the rest of their family on their House team just because she wore a scarf of emerald and silver rather than scarlet and gold. Indeed, Rose believed Roxanne was the loudest fan in the stadium as Fred walked out with fellow Beater Alastair Hopkins, along with Dominique, Louis, and the rest of the team. She also cheered for her own House, however, which earned her sour looks from the Gryffindors sitting around them. Roxanne, who in Rose's experience never seemed to care what others thought of her, appeared unfazed.

In a stroke of genius (or insanity, depending on one's perspective) on the part of the Heads of House, James had been named Brantley Jordan's successor as Quidditch commentator. As the son of Ginny and Harry Potter, he lacked no knowledge of or enthusiasm for the game, but for whatever reason lacked some of the natural talent necessary to make his House team. This passion for Quidditch, combined with his loud and outgoing personality, had made him the obvious candidate. Once again, however, Professor Longbottom's presence was required in the announcer's box, as James was very opinionated and most likely would have no problems giving biased commentary. So far he had remained quite neutral, though as the match had not yet begun Albus pointed out that this was only a minor miracle and could not last. "Now, Captains Ganesh Wood and Caius Flint will shake hands." The two did so without incident, then returned to their teams on opposite sides of the pitch.

As his brother had predicted, James could not remain unbiased for long. Caius Flint nearly knocked Dominique off her broom in the first ten minutes with a well-directed Bludger (perfectly legal, since she was in possession of the Quaffle), and though Fred quickly defended her, afterwards all bets were off and Professor Longbottom was kept busy as he attempted to censor the eldest Potter. Comments such as "The Flint twins have played a technically clean game so far, that can't last long…" were not uncommon. Rose caught Roxanne rolling her eyes several times, and heard her mutter "prat" quite a few more. Rose was inclined to agree with her. Though the Slytherin team had been known to do whatever it took to win in the past, often resorting to dirty tactics, they'd had no penalties or violations last season and so far this match was the same. While Caius Flint and Daniel Pucey were rather ruthless Beaters, and Chasers Farley, Lazenby, and Bletchley never let up on the opposing team, Rose believed herself an impartial bystander and determined that the emerald team was merely being competitive and played according to the rulebook. She caught herself several times admiring the flying skills of the Flint twins; it looked as if they had been born on a broomstick. Combined with Edmund Morcott's proficiency as Keeper, much improved from last year, and Louis' obvious nerves at playing Keeper in his first Hogwarts game, Slytherin soon gained a fifty-point lead. With each score, James' magically amplified voice grew less cheerful. Though Dominique and the other Chasers scored several times, Fred and Alistair simply couldn't defend them from each and every Bludger.

It quickly became clear that Gryffindor's only hope of victory lay with their Seeker and Captain, Ganesh Wood. Though the fifth year was talented, however, in the end he couldn't hold a candle to Thomas Flint, and the match ended when Thomas Flint caught the Snitch and won Slytherin the game. It seemed that Gryffindor would have a difficult time keeping possession of the Quidditch Cup this season, which they'd won for several years in a row.

* * *

A couple weeks later, Rose and Scorpius sat watching the Ravenclaw vs. Hufflepuff game from the locker room with the rest of the Reserve team. From her perspective at the mouth of the tunnel, Rose could see that the rest of the Weasley-Potters had seated themselves in the Hufflepuff section with Lucy, which she'd expected but was still happy to view. Rose knew her young cousin well, and was certain she'd been worried her Sorting would affect her relationship with the rest of the family. Lucy didn't have much time to sit with her sister and cousins, however, as the match didn't last long; Albus spotted and caught the Snitch within fifteen minutes of the whistle blow. James made no attempt to hide his ecstasy at his brother's win, his cheers from the announcer's box nearly deafening the stadium's occupants. Just as he was about to sign off, however, he made a comment Rose found particularly amusing: "As much as I love my brother for who he is, wouldn't change him for the world, and I know he loves his House… for the sake of our Quidditch team I wish he was a Gryffindor."


	10. Chapter 10

Hey everyone! As always, thank you for the reviews, favorites, follows and PMs: they mean a great deal to me. A lot happens in this chapter, and I hope you enjoy it!

 **siriuslylovehp** : Yes, you're quite right, that was a horrible and unforgivable cannon mistake.

 **that red head girl 14** : Thank you :) And for an added surprise, Google his first name. It's a subtle reference, but I've always enjoyed Easter eggs.

Disclaimer: Sadly, I am not J.K. Rowling and do not own _Harry Potter_ , though Rowling did a much better job than I could probably ever do.

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

 **Second Year, Part Four**

Christmas at the Burrow was the usual tumultuous affair filled with food, family, and fireworks. Three additional guests had been thrown into the usual holiday chaos: Rolf, Lorcan, and Lysander Schmander had accepted a warm invitation to join in the Weasley-Potter Christmas celebrations, since Luna was currently in Sweden with her father on an expedition to finally prove the existence of Crumple-Horned Snorkacks. Though the Schmanders did not lead the most normal of lives, and had often spent time at the Burrow for Weasley-Potter family events, even they were initially overwhelmed by the haze of red and green smoke left from earlier display of Exploding Whizz Poppers by Fred, James, and Roxanne (secretly gifted to them by Uncle George). Soon after, however, the twins joined Lily and Hugo by the fireplace to discuss their expectations of their first year at Hogwarts, which for all four would begin next September. In the far corner, Harry, Kingsley, Ron, Hermione, Andromeda Tonks, and Rolf Schmander were involved in an intense discussion about the intersection of wizard and Muggle politics. As Rose and Albus took the sofa on the other side of the sitting room to discuss Scorpius (neither had heard from him since the start of the holidays), they were forced to duck as James, Fred, Roxanne, and Teddy performed a low dive on their latest Nimbus models in order to shower the room's occupants with Silver Sparkling Snakes.

"NO BROOMSTICKS IN THE HOUSE," Nana Weasley shouted, proving once again that she must have a third eye in the back of her head, and the four flew quickly toward the door that opened out onto the orchard before they could be scolded more thoroughly.

During the meal, the troublemaking quartet sat several places down the table from Rose, Albus, Louis and Dominique as everyone helped themselves to third platefuls of Nana Weasley's delicious cooking. The long wooden table placed outside in the Burrow's magically warmed garden was filled nearly to capacity with both dishes and people, though there was one empty seat that continued to catch Rose's eye. Uncle Percy was over two hours late, and if he didn't appear soon there would not be a scrap left of the large feast for him. Aunt Audrey had arrived on time with Molly and Lucy, making a mumbled excuse on her husband's behalf about a Portkey incident involving several Muggles, but Rose wondered whether she was being entirely truthful. After all, Uncle Percy was Head of Department of Magical Transportation, and while Portkeys technically fell under his jurisdiction, dealing with such matters should be well below his pay grade.

Hugo, Lily, and the twins sat adjacent to them at the table; though the ten year-olds had not been informed as to the method of Sorting at Hogwarts, they obviously knew about the four Houses and questioned all who would listen about which they were likely to be placed in. Rose would swim naked in the Black Lake with the Giant Squid if Lily wasn't sorted into Gryffindor, and though she expected her brother to follow suit, she was less sure about where Lorcan and Lysander would end up. Though both boys outwardly seemed equally brash and bookish, she supposed that each must prefer one slightly to the other. Perhaps one if not both of them would be wearing blue and bronze before this time next year.

Her thoughts of House placement were interrupted by the sudden appearance of Uncle Percy when he Apparated into the garden. Rose noticed Uncle Harry jump from the corner of her eye, hand going to the wand in his pocket before he recognized there was no danger and relaxed, and she marveled at his Auror (and Seeker) reflexes. Most of her attention, however, was focused on Percy standing awkwardly in a circle of several rosebushes as twenty-nine pairs of eyes watched him. She glanced at the empty space at the table and nearly laughed aloud when she realized Roxanne had placed herself next to it. The move was of a similar purpose and level of confrontation to those she'd recommended to her cousin, though this exact scenario had not come up in any of their plans; clearly the girl was making the best use of the situation. In a few moments, then, they would all know where he stood on the issue of Roxanne's Sorting, for they knew he would never silently bear any situation he felt went against his moral compass. If he accepted Roxanne's House, he would sit next to her with a quickly murmured apology for his lateness and behavior toward her at the start of the school year. If he did not, he would summon another chair at the opposite end of the table, as far away from the Slytherin girl as possible.

Rose fancied herself at least a decent judge of character, but when an unforeseen third option took place, she was forced to admit that she still had much to learn. Rather than quickly take the empty seat or make another, Uncle Percy instead made a speech.

"Everyone, I am very sorry I'm running so behind tonight. Some mischief-makers turned a sleigh in Father Christmas' Grotto at Duke of York Square into a Portkey, and it became a top-priority incident when several Muggle children were sent to the North Pole." He sighed. "If I'm speaking honestly, however, I have to admit that I took the assignment when I could have sent any one of my employees from the Department of Magical Transportation to handle the situation. Truth be told, though I did not expect the issue would take so long to resolve, I wished to delay my coming here for a short while so as to put off my apology."

Rose was beginning to wonder why she hadn't thought of this eventuality in the first place. Uncle Percy loved to talk, and right now he had a captive audience. All members of the family had stopped eating and instead sat staring at him, most with blank expressions.

"Roxanne," he said, turning to face her, "I haven't treated you fairly these past few months, and after a great deal of reflection on my actions I've come to realize I must sincerely apologize. Though Slytherin House possesses several faults and has come to be associated with many a dark wizard, each Hogwarts House is not without its own pitfalls, and many great wizards as well have dressed themselves in emerald and silver." He took a long deep breath. "I am sorry, Roxanne. The fact that you were sorted into Slytherin does not make you any less of a witch, nor does it make you any less of a Weasley. I have behaved extremely ill toward you, resorting to such an extreme measure as to ask my own daughters not to associate with you, and you deserve far better than that. You deserve more from your uncle and godfather, and I hope you will forgive me, because I am and always will be exceedingly proud of you."

How could Rose have forgotten that Roxanne was Uncle Percy's goddaughter? And why hadn't Roxanne herself reminded her? This went to the back of her mind, however, as she saw Roxanne wordlessly stand and embrace Percy. She even thought she saw a glimmer of tears on the girl's cheeks, though she quickly chalked it up to a trick of the light.

After a few more moments of awkward silence in which the pair hugged, Uncle George finally broke the tension. "Perce, I'm glad you love my daughter, but shut up and come eat."

* * *

Orion delivered two letters from Scorpius the day after Christmas, one to each of his closest friends. In them, the young Malfoy politely refused their invitation to stay with the Potters for the remainder of the holidays. After consulting with Albus, however, Rose realized that her parchment contained slightly more information, an explanation for the change of plans: "I am needed at home. My mother is ill."

* * *

Scorpius,

I'm sorry to hear about your mother; I hope it isn't too serious and she recovers quickly. I haven't told Albus, and won't unless you want me to, but please know we're here if you need absolutely anything.

-Rose

* * *

Scorpius,

I'm sorry to bother you when I'm sure you have more pressing things on your mind, but Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry (as well as my own parents) are concerned and keep asking me why you aren't here and how you're doing. What should I tell them?

-Rose

* * *

Scor,

You name is far too long to write out fully if I'm to keep writing you this frequently. I hope you approve of the nickname.

Albus and I haven't heard from you in a week, and we're concerned. I know you must be upset and under a great deal of stress, and you aren't used to sharing your feelings with most… but Albus and I care for you, and we'll be here when you need us.

-Rose

P.S. Will you be returning to Hogwarts? The train leaves tomorrow.

* * *

Rosie,

I'll see you on the train.

-Scor

And thank you

* * *

Albus and Rose found their friend in the last compartment on the train, sitting in the same seat as when they first met him. His blond head was turned away from them and toward the window, though he moved to face them the moment they slid back the glass door. His face, if possible, was paler than usual, and his grey eyes had lost some of their light.

As Rose sat next to him, she considered her options. Though she wanted to find out what was going on with her friend, she also knew well enough to respect Scorpius' wishes not to inform Albus about Astoria's illness. She saw no reason for his decision, though, and curiosity had always been her besetting sin. After a few moments of internal debate, she decided not to ask any questions; Scorpius would have answered her letters if he'd wanted her to know more. But Merlin, that wouldn't make her less worried.

* * *

Scorpius threw himself into his schoolwork and into Quidditch with renewed vigor, leaving the cousins to wonder what was going on inside his head and when he would confide in them. They did their best to comfort him, to ground him, and to make sure he ate and slept. He relied on them heavily, though no one else would be in a position to take note. And though some days were worse than others, they somehow managed to get through, day by day, letting him slowly return to normal as he had before.

Rose also picked up a new habit: before the holidays she had always preferred to read her textbooks at breakfast and only scanned the headlines of the Daily Prophet, but now the young redhead made sure to thoroughly examine each day's obituaries before Scorpius arrived. She hoped for the best, of course, but thought it better to know if the worst occurred; though she hoped her friend would tell her at least that much, and would come to her if he lost his mother, she honestly wasn't sure anymore.


	11. Chapter 11

Hello everyone! I'm sorry I didn't update sooner, though since this chapter is nearly twice my normal length I'll hope you forgive me.

As always, thank you for the reviews, favorites, follows and PMs. Please keep them coming, especially since my Traffic Graph is now on the fritz and I can no longer see how many people are viewing the story :/

I'm so happy this section has finally been written and added- it was one of the first plot pieces I came up with while spitballing ideas for a fanfiction. I know my style is usually more passive than action-packed, and I hope you find this chapter a nice change of pace.

Hope you enjoy! As a reminder, I am NOT J.K. Rowling and do not own _Harry Potter_

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

 **Second Year, Part Five**

On the last Saturday in January, the sun shone brilliantly in an azure sky, turning the layer of snow covering the ground and trees into sheets of sparkling crystals. Rose, Albus, and Scorpius were enjoying a rare weekend off from Quidditch practice; their match against Slytherin was not for another month, and Ravenclaw Captain Brian Randall, while he cared about winning, was also greatly concerned with the team's grades and morale. Thus, the trio was able to spend the morning in the Ravenclaw common room doing next week's assignments. Their essay on Hair-Raising Potion, Badgering practice for Transfiguration (first practicing with throw pillows, eventually escalating to their cauldrons), and a quick review of the Disarming Charm and Freezing Charm for Defense Against the Dark Arts were all finished in an hour. They then sought out Gregory Ollivander from their year and House to get tips on the spell Professor Flitwick (now very old but still as sharp as ever) had assigned, the Engorgement Charm. After lunch in the Great Hall, however, they were at a loss as how to proceed. Though Professor Binns had hinted there would be a large essay on the Medieval Assembly of European Wizards assigned in the near future, there was very little mention of it in the text and they had not yet had a lesson on the subject. They were likewise unable to begin the essay on the uses of mandrakes for Herbology, as the plants had not yet grown to full maturity (they had just thrown their first party in Greenhouse Two) and Professor Longbottom occasionally mentioned important facts during lessons that it would be wise to include. That left Astronomy, which none of them was very fond of: all three considered it their weakest subject. This time, Gregory was of no help either, and though there were several older Ravenclaw students around, they all seemed busy with their own studies.

After thirty minutes spent staring blankly at the star chart she was supposed to be filling out and maps she couldn't make heads or tails of, Rose thought it best for them to seek out Andrea, who had a special talent for the subject. She wasn't in the library, however, and as none of them were Gryffindors they weren't able to check her common room. Just as all seemed lost, they spotted James enter the corridor some distance ahead of them.

"James? Coming from the **library**?" Albus called out to his brother. "What in Merlin's name were you doing in there, fireplace run out of kindling?"

"Ha bloody ha," the older boy shouted back, but he slowed to allow them to catch up. He had a distracted air about him, but he was paying enough attention to taunt Albus as usual. "And what are you doing outside the library Al? Already read everything?"

The brothers continued to banter as they ascended the stairs leading to Gryffindor Tower. Finally, they reached a portrait of an extremely obese woman.

"Well, this is my stop, need to go see Fred about our-" a confused expression crossed his face. "What are you three doing up here, anyway? Miss me that much?"

Before Albus could reply in kind, Rose spoke up, "Actually, we were wondering whether you could see if someone was in your common room for us. A friend of mine, of ours."

"She **is** mostly your friend Rosie, I don't think she can stand me," Albus chimed in.

"I like this girl already. What's her name?"

"Andy. Andrea Sterling. Our year," Rose replied

James looked surprised. "She has friends?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"She just keeps to herself is all. Met her when she got into a scrape with those Flint arseholes." He grinned ruefully. "She can't stand me, either."

Their conversation was interrupted as the portrait hole swung open, revealing Fred. " **James**?! What they bloody hell, you should be-" he abruptly cut himself off when he realized they were not alone. "Er- hello Rose, Al, Scorpius."

James suddenly looked very anxious. "Right, be back in a moment then," he said in an overly cheerful tone as he turned to climb through the portrait hole.

The silence was deafening. Fred continuously ran his hands through his hair, shifted his weight from foot to foot, and avoided looking at them. Rose wondered what the pair of them was hiding.

James soon returned, grinning nervously. "She'll be out in a moment. Now, if you'll excuse us." With that, he grabbed Fred by the arm, turned, and headed down the hall at a near sprint.

This was one of those rare moments where Albus' perceptions were on point with Rose's. "Wonder what they're up to now," he muttered. "Ah well, we'll find out soon enough."

Andy soon emerged from the portrait hole, and after a quick explanation from Rose that they needed help with the Astronomy assignment, she agreed to accompany them to the library. "I haven't started it yet, but it can't be too difficult. Could you help me with Potions too, once we're done with the star charts?"

The girls continued to chat as they all headed down the stairs. Once they reached the third floor, however, Rose stopped talking as she glimpsed Roxanne for a moment before the girl turned the corner. She would have sworn her cousin had seen them, and she'd hurried away so quickly…

They had reached the library, though, and all questions about all her family were soon forgotten.

* * *

Rose dropped her head against the desk, groaning. "Merlin's beard Andy, how do you even understand Astronomy? The maps are so confusing, and all the mindless memorization… it drives me mad."

"It translates well from my old Muggle interests," the Gryffindor girl replied. "Father even built a small planetarium in our upstairs study for my birthday."

Rose lifted her head. "Muggles use Astronomy?"

"Wizards know much more about the night sky than Muggles do, but yes, we- they- do understand quite a bit. It's always fascinated me."

"Well, that explains your proficiency," Rose smiled. "You had a head start."

"I had a lot of time on my hands as a kid, I wasn't allowed to watch the telly or anything of that sort. I had to find ways to entertain myself."

"Like MMA?"

"Like MMA." After a few moments Andy continued. "And you've all had a head start with so much else- in most subjects I'm desperate to catch up."

"Mum's said it was hard, being a Muggleborn and coming into Hogwarts cold like that. It made her work more in her classes, probably helped her in the long run- she hated not knowing things."

Andy smiled. "If only I was as sharp as Hermione Granger, I'd probably feel the same."

Rose glanced down the table to see how Albus and Scorpius were faring on their star charts. Andrea had been able to explain a great deal to them, and all three were now making excellent progress on their last bit of homework of the weekend. It looked as if they would have nearly a day and a half to relax, or in Scorp's case, read even further ahead in the texts. Though he was slowly getting better, as he had before, he'd remained mostly silent for weeks now, and Rose was obviously still concerned with both his wellbeing and his mother's. She was just glad Draco seemed to know his son so well; if the news of Astoria's illness had been broken to Scorpius without any hint of a warning, she couldn't imagine how much worse his reaction could have been to all of this.

"Can you please help me with Potions, when you're done with Astronomy?" asked Andy, interrupting her train of thought. " I don't understand why the different ingredients in a Hair-Raising Potions-"

A loud bang from just outside the library cut the girl off mid-sentence. Rose saw her tense instantly, instincts accumulated over years of fighting kicking in. "Any idea what that was?"

"Probably just some Weasleys' Wildfire Whiz-Bangs…" The sound of many large, flapping wings filled the air of the library.

"I think we're about to see the prank Fred and James were planning for ourselves," Scorpius said, pulling out his wand. The others followed suit.

Suddenly Rose saw a large, greenish streak flying toward them at high speed from the top of the stacks. "TAKE COVER!" she shouted, diving under the table and hastening Albus and Scorpius by grabbing their elbows and yanking them down with her. Andy was already two steps ahead, peering out at them from under the table's wooden edge. As soon as they were underneath, the tall brunette began to construct a barricade by pulling in all the chairs so as to protect them from the sides, and they quickly made to help her. She was not fast enough, however; the four students heard a thud as something large landed on the top of their table before the task was complete. Rose held her breath as she listened to the thing slowly cross the table, claws scratching its surface as it walked, occasionally emitting a loud, high-pitched squeak. "Don't move," Rose whispered.

Without warning, the creature flew through the gap between two chairs. Rose screamed as it flew toward her head; Albus stared dumbly; Scorpius shot a Freezing Charm and missed; Andy moved quickly toward the creature, acting on impulse.

The creature's head made an ugly squelching sound as Andy hit it, knocking it to the ground, where it remained still.

"Ughhh, it's **slimy** ," the girl said, wiping her hand off on her robes. "What **is** it?"

Rose bent to examine the creature. "It looks like a- a bat? But it's much too large. And the color…"

"It looks like a bogey," said Albus.

Rose rolled her eyes, "It certainly isn't pleasant Al, but this isn't really-"

"He means the Bat-Bogey Hex, Rosie," said Scorpius. "And he's right. This thing looks like the bats that hex makes, only much bigger. Somehow your two third-year cousins managed to cast and enhance what should be at least a fourth-year spell."

Squeaking and flapping sounds filled the air, getting louder by the second. More were coming, and soon.

"Yes, yes, I'm so proud," she snapped. "How do we beat these things, then? I'm not spending the rest of the day hiding under a bloody table just because James and Fred are mental. And why did it come after me specifically?"

"Anyone could see your hair coming a mile away, of course it liked you," said Albus.

"Bats are blind, you pillock," replied Andy shortly. "You spoke, remember Rose? Bats have excellent hearing, it's how they navigate."

"So what, we stay silent under here for the rest of the school year?" asked Al.

"Just until the Professors get this all sorted, Potter. I am not wrestling with giant, flying bits of enchanted snot, if I can help it," said Andy.

"Oh come on, there has to be a way to get out of here," said Rose. "Think about the spells we've learned lately…"

"I don't suppose Badgering would work, would it?" Andy said.

"We are NOT using the Engorgement Charm on those things," said Albus sharply.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Scor, you're the DADA expert. Any ideas?"

"I tried the Freezing Charm, but I missed. Still should work though. Best I've got, anyway."

The noises were nearly deafening now, almost directly overhead.

"Right then. Pull in the rest of the chairs. Aim from between them, try _Immobulus_ first, if that doesn't work, get creative," said Rose in a voice that sounded much more confident than she felt. By the time her parents were her age they'd both faced certain death at least once, and Uncle Harry had already beaten Voldemort twice. How in Merlin's name had they done it? Here she was facing a pack of overgrown booger rodents with wings and she was terrified.

She had little time to reflect on this, however, because the bats soon descended upon them. There was a frenzy of shouting, and jets of blue light were being fired everywhere. It took Rose a few attempts to get her Freezing Charm to work, and several more for her hand to stop shaking enough to aim properly. Finally, though, she hit her first target, quickly followed by her second and third. Once she'd gotten the hang of it, Rose found she was not nearly as anxious as she had been a few moments ago. On the contrary, she found it rather exhilarating. Now that she was more confident with her own spellwork, Rose made an effort to pay attention to the larger battle around her. Scorpius was doing as well as she was, if not better- he truly was a Defense Against the Dark Arts natural. Al hit a few bats, but although he had fast reflexes as a Seeker, they had yet to translate into prowess in a duel and he seemed to have trouble aiming correctly. She also heard the occasional Badgering incantation, giving her a sneaking suspicion that Andrea meant to use this opportunity to complete her Transfiguration homework on a moving mark.

Eventually, all their attackers had either immobilized or turned into the Hufflepuff mascot; the ground surrounding them was strewn with ugly greenish bats and adorably fluffy badgers. Rose scanned her friends quickly, and saw Andy doing the same, but none of them appeared to be injured. The redhead then began to push out one of the chairs from the table in order to escape their makeshift shelter. Albus grabbed her leg. "What are you doing? There could still be more."

"I told you, I'm not staying under here all day. If there are still more then I'd rather go help. Besides, we did well," she smiled.

Scorpius stood up beside her. "I'll come with you."

Andrea was next. "You'll need someone to cover both your bums."

Albus stood reluctantly. "Fine, but only because my brother probably started all this."

The quartet carefully made their way through the rest of the library, looking for other students and keeping an eye out for more of the disgusting mucous bats. They saw two more of the creatures as they passed through the Restricted Section, which Rose and Scorpius dispatched with Freezing Charms. After Andy spotted several more of them roosting in the stacks and turned them into badgers of varying color and size, it became apparent to even Al that the Gryffindor girl was using this opportunity to complete her homework.

"Is now really the time, Sterling?"

"Aren't you Ravenclaws supposed to be crazy about homework?" Rose tried not to be offended by her friend's offhand comment. After all, she did usually enjoy doing her assignments and often went above and beyond the professor's instructions (and earned her House a multitude of points in the process). Instead, she turned her attention to the rows of forbidden books they were passing, her curiosity almost causing her to stop several times as an interesting title or binding caught her eye. Reluctantly she came back to the task at hand; she could always borrow James' Cloak of Invisibility later to access the Restricted Section.

"And besides," Andy continued, "isn't the point of all this homework that we be able to use it when necessary? Well, I'd say this is as good a time as any."

Albus rolled his eyes but let the subject drop.

The library was surprisingly empty, even for a Saturday. Her concern that other students with less talent for fighting would be trapped and unable to adequately defend themselves had thus far proven unwarranted. As they neared the exit, however, they encountered several students from their year; Charlie McLeod and Maeve Macmillan of Hufflepuff and Mary Parker of Gryffindor had hidden behind a large tapestry depicting the 1612 goblin rebellion, but emerged with relief when they heard the group pass. The three began to speak about their experience with the bats simultaneously, paying no heed to their volume, and Rose became apprehensive, anxiously looking up to the lofted ceilings as she quietly cautioned them- "I really don't think we should talk here…"

Her warning was, ironically, delivered too softly, for none but Scorpius and Andy heard her. Suddenly the air was once again filled with a great quantity of flapping and squeaking noises. Abandoning all hope of exiting the library without further detection by the creatures as well as their previous defensive strategy, Andrea shouted at them to run toward the entrance.

Rose and the others had made it halfway across the foyer, successfully fending off the bats that dive-bombed them two or three at a time, when Mary Parker tripped on a large parchment scroll and rolled her ankle. She fell to the ground, a panicked and pained expression on her face. Rose, Andy and Scorpius ran to her as Charlie McLeod slung her arm over his shoulders to help her stand. While he was able to get Mary on her feet for a moment, though, this also pinned his wand arm to his side and left him open to attack. Moments later a bat took advantage of his vulnerability, swooping down and raking its sharp claws over his face and chest repeatedly, causing him to drop Mary back down on her bum. Another bat joined it, then another, creating a frightful green swarm around the poor boy's figure as Mary dragged herself away to avoid being trampled. Andy caught her with a powerful Levitation Charm, sending her quickly floating away toward the exit. Rose sprinted the rest of the distance between her and the Hufflepuff boy, casting Freezing Charms wildly, taking down all but two of his attackers in the process. Several times she felt a bat snag her robes or wrap a claw in her hair, as she was paying too much attention to Charlie to care for her own safety, but thanks to Scorpius' powerful dueling skills and remarkable aim she remained unharmed.

Charlie fell to the ground, wand sliding from his grip and rolling away on the floor. Finally, Rose reached him and immobilized the last two bats at point-blank range. When she quickly knelt in order to inspect him, she didn't like what she saw: the boy had several gashes that were bleeding profusely, pools of scarlet liquid surrounding his body and staining his robes, and she was unable to rouse him. Thinking on her feet, she cast a Feather-Light Charm, making his already slight weight much easier to bear, then scooped him up with Scorpius' help and once again made for the exit. Though both friends were now unable to reach their wands, by now Andy and the others had reached the corridor, and she heard them shooting charms and jinxes at the creatures flying above before they could attack.

As soon as she'd made it through the large doorframe, skinning her knees on the rough stone floor as she collapsed to her knees, Maeve and Al pulled the large oak doors shut.

"Bloody hell, that was close," Al sighed in relief.

"Too close. Charlie needs to see Madame Longbottom, now," replied Rose worriedly. She held the Hufflepuff boy's small body with his head cradled in her lap. He still wasn't stirring, and by now portions of his robes were soaked through with scarlet.

"I'll go fetch her," said Andy before hurrying away toward the Hospital Wing.

"Where in Merlin's name are the Professors, the Headmaster?" asked Maeve. "Do you think those horrid things are in other parts of the castle as well?"

Rose bit her lip. "Maybe? The library was nearly empty, though; we may have been the only ones in there when it started. Perhaps the Professors just haven't been alerted yet. Maeve, can you go to the staff room?" The girl agreed, and was soon followed by Scorpius, who thought it best to go to Professor Chang's office individually- she often preferred to grade papers there and they'd just handed in an assignment yesterday.

Once Rose was left alone with the unconscious Charlie McLeod, the preoccupied Mary Parker, and Albus, she said softly but forcefully to her cousin: "I know James and Fred must not have meant any harm by all this, but a small part of me still thinks they'll be expelled."

"Don't worry Rosie," he said, "I'm sure the Headmaster will be reasonable."

"Oh, I'm not **worried** ," she sighed ruefully. "I daresay that little voice in my head sounds rather hopeful." She paused. "It would just be so **peaceful** for a change…"


	12. Chapter 12

Hey everyone! Thanks again for all the replies, favorites, follows and PMs.

I'm headed back to campus tomorrow- I should probably warn you now that I won't have nearly as much time to write once the semester starts, for which I apologize. Still, please keep the support coming, because there are so many things I'm planning on doing with this story. Though it may take a while to finish, I promise not to sacrifice quality for time. And I **will** finish it :)

Sadly, I do not own _Harry Potter_

* * *

 **Chapter 12**

 **Second Year, Part Six**

Several witnesses named Fred and James as the culprits of the Bat-Bogey Hex debacle, a claim the two cousins did not deny upon questioning by Headmaster Goshawk. Though the Headmaster and several Professors seemed to believe the prank had required three students rather than two, as did Rose, there was no proof of Roxanne's involvement, and James and Fred were determined to protect her even if it meant more punishment for themselves. Though the cousins were not suspended, it had been a close call, and they were given detentions every weekend for the rest of the year, which barred them from participating in the remaining Quidditch matches. They were spared from expulsion, largely because they had intended no harm by their prank, and were genuinely shocked and ashamed when they were informed of Charlie McLeod's injuries. The Hufflepuff boy had been sent to St. Mungo's Hospital, though Madame Hannah Longbottom nee Abbott had managed to stop his bleeding and revive him before the Headmaster had arrived on the scene; the wounds themselves had been difficult to close, and there was concern about any long-lasting effects of the enhanced spell. James and Fred claimed that Headmaster Goshawk had applauded them (off the record, of course) for their perfection and augmentation of the spell she herself had invented as a young witch, though the trio didn't quite believe their tale.

Charlie returned to Hogwarts in under a week, and Rose approached him the following morning in the Great Hall, offering to help him catch up on his schoolwork. He thanked her profusely, and stated he would likely take her up on the offer in Potions, a subject with which he greatly struggled. They chatted idly for a few minutes, and Rose sat next to him at the Hufflepuff table to have her breakfast once she realized Charlie was eager for new friends, more intelligent than she'd given him credit for, and would speak with her amiably in his thick Scottish brogue on just about any subject. When she asked whether his stay at St. Mungo's had been very awful (for she had never had a great liking for hospitals), however, an unexpected conversation ensued.

"Nae, it wasn' too awful. It was an easy fix. And ma mum is Healer-in-charge on the groun' floor, so I had comp'ny mos' of the time." He paused for a moment, but just as Rose was about to ask whether his mother enjoyed her profession, or make a similarly inane comment, he continued, lowering his voice so she had to lean in to hear him properly. "I was sorry to hear about Scorpius' mum. How's he doin'?"

She was startled, to say the least, but kept enough of her sense to match his soft tone so no one else would be able to hear their conversation. "I'm sorry, but how did you know?"

"Ma mum works on the groun' floor? Artifact Acciden's? She didn't mean ta gossip, an' I'm the only one she told, but she was always goin' down every half an hour or so ta check on her, so of course eventually I asked. I'll keep it ta myself, I promise."

Rose's head was spinning. Astoria Malfoy was a patient at St. Mungo's? She'd known Scorpius' mother was ill, of course, he'd told her that much, but somehow she'd gotten it in her mind that it wasn't serious enough as to warrant a long-term hospital stay. Questions flooded her lips, nearly overflowing, but she held back. It was best to seem like she was in the know, otherwise Charlie would only feel guilt at exposing her friend's gloomy secret. Rose strove to keep her answer as vague as possible. "Well, it's hard on him, naturally, but considering the circumstances I think he's doing rather well." She couldn't resist throwing in a single question, however. "Did your mum say how long Mrs. Malfoy might be staying at St. Mungo's?"

Charlie's kind face grew somber, and Rose's heart sank. "I can't say, I'm sorry," he whispered, sorrow plain in his voice, but really no words were required. Based on his expression, there were two possible outcomes, neither of which she wanted for her friend: either Astoria would be at St. Mungo's for an extended period, or she wouldn't be there, or anywhere, much longer at all.

* * *

Though Albus was a gifted Seeker, Thomas Flint also had no small amount talent on a broomstick. What really led Slytherin to win their match against Ravenclaw, though, was the precision and ruthlessness of their Beaters. Caius Flint and Daniel Pucey once again proved, on the last Sunday in February, that though they would not put one toe over the line with regard to the Quidditch rulebook, they were by far more powerful players than their Ravenclaw counterparts. It was an exciting match, made less so by the dull, unenthusiastic commentary by 5th year Hufflepuff Sarah Macmillan, Maeve's elder sister. Albus left the pitch with a broken collarbone, the result of a well-aimed Bludger that prevented him from catching the Snitch and allowed Slytherin to win. Ravenclaw Beaters Andrew Inglebee and Reina Noda were sternly chastised by Captain Brian Randall after the game, but when they tried to apologize to Albus once he'd been allowed to leave the Hospital Wing (Scorpius and Rose had been allowed to stay with him the entire time, thankfully), he told them there was no need; his injury had not been caused by negligence on their part but rather added skill and brutality on that of the opposing team. Anyway, it looked as if they were out of the running for the Quidditch Cup unless Slytherin somehow lost their match to Hufflepuff in May, and since Reina was a 7th year he didn't see a reason to cause a fuss- she was probably more disappointed than he was, as it was her last year at Hogwarts.

The trio passed the second half of the school year in a fashion similar to that of the first: studying, Quidditch, and loads of time together (visiting Hagrid, under the oak by the Black Lake, dining in the Great Hall, studying in the library and common room…). Scorpius was just as taciturn as he'd been since the Christmas holidays had ended, but this did not prevent his affection for his friends from growing; on the contrary, he came to rely on them immeasurably, eventually informing Albus of his mother's illness (though he still did not tell either the cause of her malady or of her stay at St. Mungo's). Though one would have hardly thought it possible, the three became even more inseparable, and as exams quickly approached it went without question that they would choose to take the same additional classes in their third year. Rose wrote her mother to get an opinion on which subjects to take. Though Rose's mum told her it had once been possible to take **all** the courses offered to them through use of a Time-Turner, all of these artifacts had been smashed in the battle at the Ministry in Hermione's fifth year and to the best of her knowledge had not been replaced. She didn't recommend it, anyway, as she'd returned her Time-Turner after only one year with twelve subjects due to the abundance of work that even she couldn't handle- instead, she suggested her daughter take three extra subjects, and told her that Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Ancient Runes and Muggle Studies all had their merits.

When Rose relayed this advice to her companions, they readily agreed and set about deciding which of the four classes they would not include in their timetables. Care of Magical Creatures was a must, as Hagrid was still its professor and they all loved the half-giant too much to even think of offending him. Here, however, is where they came to an impasse for a time. Albus had never been fond of numbers, and so he refused to take Arithmancy. Rose had learned a great deal about Muggle culture already from her mother and grandparents, as well as from the Muggle school she had attended before Hogwarts, and didn't feel it was necessary to have a class on the subject. Scorpius, while he excelled in learning languages verbally and knew how to speak a good deal of French and Italian, was not as skilled at the written component and therefore preferred to pass on Ancient Runes. He also wanted to learn more about Muggles, though this he only expressed to his friends after several conversations on the matter. Though his parents had raised him not to look down on Muggles (unlike their parents before them), Draco and Astoria hadn't been able to provide much information on the non-magical population, and he was curious. Rose respected his interest, but offered him the compromise of teaching him whatever he wished about Muggle culture in their spare time, as well as lending him selections from her extensive collection of books and music. Once their bargain was struck, he agreed to take Arithmancy, Ancient Runes and Care of Magical Creatures with her, leaving Al outnumbered. Reluctantly, the middle Potter child added Arithmancy to his timetable after making his friends swear they would assist him if necessary.

* * *

The Great Hall was decorated with green and silver hangings at the End-of-Term Feast, much to the dismay of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team- their House was less than one hundred points behind first place for the House Cup, and it had been winning the Quidditch Cup that put Slytherin just over the edge of victory. Still, Rose and Scorpius were content in their belief that at the end of their seventh year the Great Hall would be decorated in blue and bronze instead. In the meantime, she made sure to congratulate Roxanne on her House's accomplishment, especially since the first year had been awarded a rather large number of points by winning the annual Wizard's Chess Tournament (a tradition started by former Headmaster Minerva McGonagall eighteen years ago to honor her father, just as a Quidditch award for most valuable player had been created for her Uncle Harry and a new wing of the library renamed for her mother). She was interested to see whether her cousin would be able to defend the title next year, however, for Hugo would be starting at Hogwarts and he was just as gifted at the game as Roxanne, if not more so.

They had all passed their final exams with room to spare, of course. Scorpius' obsessive studying had paid off; he beat Gregory Ollivander in Charms by a thin margin and improved all his grades so that the leaders in other subjects had been only one subpar grade away from losing their ranking. For now, Rose remained at the top of Potions and History of Magic, Albus in Transfiguration, Andy Sterling in Astronomy, and Charlie McLeod in Herbology.

On the Hogwarts Express heading back to London, the three friends sat in a compartment with Andy, Charlie, Gregory, Maeve Macmillan, and Mary Parker; it seemed that their Bat-Bogey Hex adventure had earned them several new friends, though Rose had not spent too much more time with them other than the occasional Potions tutoring session with Charlie. Though Rose and Albus wanted to ask whether Scorpius would be staying with them at the end of the summer holidays as he had last year, they didn't dare broach the subject for fear of dredging up thoughts of his mother's illness (which already must be weighing heavily on his mind) and making his mood worse, especially not in front of so many others. Instead, Rose sat back, occasionally looking over the top of her book at Scorpius as Andy entertained them all with stories of sparring matches and unusual medical malpractice cases her father had handled. He stared out the window, and as they got closer to Kings Cross she saw him grow edgier, though several times he caught her checking on him and gave her an encouraging half-smile.

* * *

Ginny and Harry were the first set of parents to spot the trio on Platform 9 ¾, and they wasted no time inviting the young Malfoy to stay with them before the start of term. Though Scorpius responded graciously, he also avoided giving a direct answer, a fact which all took note of but said nothing about. The trio's parting was easier this year, as each had grown comfortable enough in their friendship to understand it would not be undermined by a few months spent apart. After Albus left with a final wave and a promise to write, Rose and Scorpius were left standing with their trunks and owls. Draco Malfoy appeared a few moments later, surprising Rose greatly by making it a point to engage her in conversation. As his questioning continued, venturing out of the realm of small talk and into a discussion of her interests, it seemed to the redhead that he was genuinely trying to get to know her. She shot Scorpius a startled look, but his expression said he was just as astounded as she was. Finally, however, Draco's intentions were revealed.

"Miss Weasley," he began

"Please, call me Rose," she interrupted

"Rose," Draco said, "I am sure my son has informed you that this is a trying time for our family."

Rose was flabbergasted. "I, um, yes, yes he has. I'm very sorry, Mr. Malfoy."

The man inclined his head slightly to acknowledge her condolences. "Miss Weasley – Rose – by now you know that my son does not open himself up to very many people. The fact that you have become a confidant of his therefore gives me a high estimation of your character."

Rose saw that Scorpius' mouth was hanging open rather comically. "Why, uh, thank you, Mr. Malfoy."

"I know that my son enjoyed spending time with you and your cousin this past summer. Unfortunately, I don't think current circumstances will allow the arrangement to be repeated this holiday, as Scorpius is needed at home."

She wasn't quite sure how to react to this- she'd expected that Scorpius wouldn't be able to stay with them, of course, but she was unsure as to why Draco was bringing this up here and now.

Her unspoken question was quickly answered. "With my son's permission, Rose, I would like to formally grant you permission to stay with us at Malfoy Manor for a portion of the summer months. My wife's condition," here his voice grew darker, "is such that I cannot give you a proper timeline for a potential visit, but please know that if at any point Scorpius chooses to write you to request your presence at Malfoy Manor, you will be welcomed with open arms."

"Thank you, Mr. Malfoy," she responded quietly, regaining her composure after recognizing the pains Draco was going through to put himself on good terms with his son's friend, despite his assuredly less than enthusiastic view of her family connections and the amount of stress and sorrow he must currently be suffering under. Though he was undoubtedly sincere in his offer, his tone was stiff, and she wondered how many times he had rehearsed this little speech. "I would be more than happy to accept any invitation Scorpius extends to stay with you, and I thank you for your hospitality."

He nodded his blonde head in approval of her answer, then with a few more words bid her farewell. Scorpius, meanwhile, had recovered from his shock and reached to give Rose a final hug before leaving just as Hermione and Ron reached them.

"Rosie," her father questioned in a suspicious voice, "what were you talking to Malfoy about?"

"I – I think I was just invited to stay at Malfoy Manor," she said in a daze.

"Like hell you are," said Ron, before Hermione elbowed him in the ribs. "I mean, how nice of him," he grumbled.


	13. Chapter 13

Hello lovelies! Thank you once again for the reviews, favorites, follows and PMs, they mean the world to me. Classes for me start on Tuesday, which means I'll be busier than usual and won't have as much time to post. I am going through a bit of a rough spot, however, and since writing is my way of losing myself (for a little while), I don't expect the delay to be as bad as originally anticipated.

Right, I think that's all the business I needed to address. Hope you enjoy!

Oh, and I'm not J.K. Rowling

* * *

 **Chapter 13**

 **Third Year, Part One**

After a large meal at the Burrow celebrating the end of another year at Hogwarts, which nearly all of the Weasley-Potter family attended, Rose sent Circe to Malfoy Manor with a hastily scrawled note:

Scor,

Do you have any idea what prompted your father's actions today? Why didn't he approach before Al left? Also, how much does he think I know?

-Rosie

She received a reply within the hour. Circe seemed tired and sluggish when she landed on the edge the open windowsill, though upon inspection Rose could see crumbs on the owl's beak and surmised it had gorged itself on too many treats at the Manor. The redhead snorted as she unrolled the parchment covered in Scorpius' neat handwriting.

Rosie,

The answer to all your questions is the same: I'm not sure. I know that won't satisfy you, though, so I'll do my best guesswork and fill in some gaps in your knowledge.

1) You asked why my father granted you permission to stay at Malfoy Manor this summer. I believe he is worried about me, and thinks it would do me good to have someone to rely on here, or at least to know I have the option open if I feel it is necessary. I am not sure whether he expects that I'll ask you to come, or that you'll accept if I do, but I think he intended to relieve any apprehensions either of us may have had on the subject.

2) You asked why Albus wasn't' extended the same courtesy. My father and I have always been close, and circumstances over the past year have made us even more so. I certainly do not tell him everything, but I believe he was able to gather that while I enjoy Albus' company for a great many reasons and have come to love him as a brother (please don't tell him I said that, his head is already big enough), his emotional maturity and ability to empathize aren't exactly on that list. Though Father would obviously not turn your cousin out of doors if I were to invite him, Albus' presence would not align with his intent for the invitation due to his supposition of our relationship (assuming my assumptions are correct, of course).

3) You asked how much knowledge Father believes you possess. This answer is the one I am least sure of, as he well understands my hesitancy to confide in and rely on others, but I guess that he assumes you know more than I have told you. Indeed, I have been meaning to tell you more about my mother's illness for some time now, but the timing never seemed to be right and the words would never come to me.

When I first went away to Hogwarts, Mum and Dad decided to break Malfoy tradition and have another child. Though Mum loves me dearly, I believe she'd always secretly wanted a little girl, and both my parents have always been concerned that I was too lonely. A short while after, Mum began to clear out an old room in an unused wing of the Manor in the hopes of converting it into a nursery. She gradually grew weaker, but the signs were hardly noticeable at first; she passed out that Christmas while arguing with Grandfather Lucius, though it was only in retrospect that we realized this was an indication of something more serious at work.

After a year of unsuccessfully trying for another baby, Mum and Dad became discouraged. As a last-ditch effort, they saw a Healer while I stayed with you and Al over the summer holidays, in the hopes that there was a potion or a charm that could help which they were unaware of. She was the one who informed my parents that my mother's health was declining; until then, the fainting spells had been blamed on everything from the heat in the kitchens to dress bindings that restricted breathing.

Once they had seen me off from Platform 9 ¾, Mum and Dad returned to St. Mungo's so they could determine what was wrong. During this time spent as a patient, Mum's health rapidly declined. After Healers were sent to the Manor to investigate any potential sources of her malady, they came across a silver hairbrush she'd discovered while cleaning out the new nursery. It was heavily enchanted with slow-acting Dark curses; their effects are irreversible, and increase when she isn't near the hairbrush or doesn't use it. The horrid thing now resides on my mother's bedside table at St. Mungo's, and the Healers have asked her to brush her hair with it at least three times a day in the hopes of buying her more time.

The Healers do not expect she will live to see me start my third year at Hogwarts. Now you understand why Father is so concerned with my state of mind. He visits her at St. Mungo's every day, and though I often joined him over the Christmas holidays and plan to do so again… some days I just can't bring myself to it.

I'm sorry for not telling you all this sooner; it's much easier to write these things down than to say it out loud. Somehow, it makes them feel much less real.

Please come visit, Rosie.

-Scor

Rose was rendered speechless. She'd had no idea of the scope of Astoria Malfoy's illness, and now felt horribly insensitive not to have seen her friend's sorrow. Yes, he hadn't told her, and he'd tried to hide his emotions, but if she had paid as much attention as she should have been, maybe she could have stepped in to comfort him sooner. How must Scorpius feel, watching his mother be slowly drained of life in front of his eyes?

And now, that he had confided in her? What was she to do? She was absolute rubbish at comforting people. How in Merlin's name was she to help Scorpius through this? This wasn't a potion or a spell, a bit of schoolwork from a textbook; she didn't have any answers, any way to fix this, and she couldn't go to the library or to a professor to find them. Unlike any every problem she had faced before, here there was no solution: no matter what she did, Scorpius would still lose his mother. Rose was brought back to the night she'd been locked outside the Ravenclaw dormitories, eventually saved by Scorpius- she hadn't had the answer then, either, although at least one had existed. She thought of the way his face lit up when she first called him her friend; he hadn't smiled like that for far too long, now.

She realized he must still be waiting, or at least hoping, for a reply. What should she write? Would it be better to acknowledge his confession, or should she refrain from reminding him of his situation? After taking several deep breaths, she wrote:

Scor,

I'm sorry. Name a day and I'll be there.

-Rosie

Once she'd sent Circe back to Malfoy Manor (the owl had bitten her finger in protest of being sent out twice in one night), Rose collapsed onto her bed. Now, the only thing was convincing her parents to let her stay with the Malfoys... which was certainly easier said than done.

* * *

Rose concocted a plan to persuade her parents just as she would follow the recipe of a potion; though she didn't usually approve of manipulation, she felt that these were extenuating circumstances, and would therefore use nearly any means necessary. First, once Circe had rested, she wrote to Albus:

Al,

I need a favor; after this, consider us even for the time I saved you from Delilah Macnair and her enchanted Pepper Imps.

Scorpius has emotionally taken a turn for the worse since we've left Hogwarts, and I'm worried for him. I'd like to try to visit at Malfoy Manor, but as of now I don't believe my parents would agree to it. When we come to your house for dinner on Friday, please continually commend Scorpius- tell them how polite he is when he stays with you, how studious and intelligent he is, how much Hagrid enjoys having the three of us for tea, etc. It will be transparent, but that's the idea. If you can, bring one or both of your parents into it, but not if you think it'll backfire. Do **not** tell them specifics unless absolutely necessary.

Thanks,

Rose

Though she hated holding things back from Albus, particularly the personal invitations to visit from both Scorpius and his father, Rose knew it would be best to in this case to hold back.

She received two scrolls of parchment the next day. The first was from her cousin, and with it Al proved yet again that despite his utter cluelessness where most people were concerned, somehow he was always able to read between the lines of her horrible penmanship.

Rose,

I'm glad you're looking out for him- I've been worried too. Though I'd like to visit Malfoy Manor with you at some point in the future, now wouldn't be the best time- he needs someone more perceptive, understanding. I'll do whatever you need. As for my parents, Mum loves him, and I'm sure Dad can be persuaded to advocate on his behalf.

-Al

The second was from Scorpius:

Rosie,

Dad agrees that the end of July would most likely be best, though circumstances may change between then and now; I'm sorry I can't be more specific.

Thank you, for everything

-Scor

* * *

The next step on Rose's agenda was to speak to her mother. She brought up the idea hesitantly one day in the kitchen, sitting on the counter as her mother attempted to bake a cake to bring to the Potters' the next evening. After reminding her mother that Mr. Malfoy said she was welcome to visit the Manor at any time, she mentioned that Scorpius was not in the best of spirits as of late and could use a houseguest to cheer him. Hermione responded with a more violent negative than Rose had expected. After a few minutes of intense, seemingly illogical argument (the first they had had in years), Rose internally smacked her head- she had completely forgotten about the war. Of course Hermione didn't want her daughter to visit Malfoy Manor, she had been tortured there! If Rose had remembered before initiating the conversation, she would have approached the subject more delicately, but as she had now chosen this path and was forced to stay on it, after a few more minutes she instead blurted out: "Mum, Scorpius isn't his father, and he bloody well isn't his grandfather. I understand what happened there when you were younger, but I swear things are different now- they've even closed off that part of the house, the parlor is boarded up and gathering dust and no one is allowed to enter. I understand you have problems with Scorpius' family, but he's my best mate and he needs me; please don't make him lose trust in the only person he confides in just because of his surname."

"Why does this matter to you so much, Rose? If Scorpius needs company, why doesn't he stay here or at the Potters'? I'm trying to understand sweetheart, but I feel as if I'm not being told the entire truth."

Rose paused a moment to weigh her options. "His Mum is ill," she finally replied quietly. "Don't ask me to say more, I can't. But Scorpius rarely admits when he needs help Mum, and this time he's asked me. Please don't make me say no."

"And you're sure you won't be in the way?" Hermione asked, matching her daughter's tone.

"Neither father nor son would have invited me if that were true. I think he just needs someone to support him through this."

Hermione sighed. "Very well, Rose. I don't suppose you have an idea of how to bring this up to your father?"

Rose smiled. "I was hoping you'd ask that. Mention it to him just before we visit the Potters tomorrow, then say something kind about Mr. Malfoy at the dinner, and I'll take care of the rest."

* * *

Dinner went as well as Rose had hoped. It started when Hermione, as planned, made a favorable comment about Mr. Malfoy's collection of alchemical manuscripts, which was reputed to be one of the most extensive in wizarding Britain and contain several unique texts acquired over decades. Ron, still sore from his wife's suggestion that their little girl spend time over the holiday at Malfoy Manor, made a grumbled comment about the family, just as Rose had hoped. She kicked Albus' ankle under the table, making him knock over his water glass, but he got the message and immediately began to praise Scorpius. There were bumps in the conversation, yes, but the Potters all played their parts brilliantly; even James had chimed in once or twice about Scorpius' skills on a broom and his courtesy to him and the rest of their cousins. Though of course Ginny, Harry and James had no idea why they had been asked to speak kindly about Scorpius (and may have reacted quite differently had they been informed), Ron assumed they were all in the know and had chosen to gang up on him. He reacted in his usual fashion at first, complete with a red face and lots of shouting about blood purists, complete with the phrases "stupid git" and "bloody hell", but by the end of the onslaught he had been worn down enough that Rose was able to slip in her own request to visit the Manor without his outright refusal. "I'm just worried for you, sweetheart," he said as they took a stroll in Aunt Ginny's garden. "I don't trust that the Malfoy git won't hurt you."

She smiled up at him. They had always been close, though her friendship with Scorpius had recently tested the boundaries of their relationship. While her mother understood her intelligence and drive, it was her father who had always accepted if not comprehended the way she saw the world. "I'm thirteen now Dad- I'm not little any more."

"You'll always be my little girl, Rosie," he murmured, then sighed. "But your mother is right- I suppose it's time to let some things go. I still don't like it, or them, but you can stay with the Malfoys." He then quickly added, "But I expect an owl a day, or I'm sending in Uncle Harry with half the Auror Department behind him."

She laughed, then stood on her tiptoes to kiss him on his scruffy cheek. He scooped her up into a hug, swinging her in a circle to elicit a laugh. For now, at least, they were back to normal.


	14. Chapter 14

Hey everyone! Once again, thanks for all the reviews, favorites, follows and PMS!

that red head girl 14: Yes, sorry, I know it was a bit slow, especially with the long letter. Though this chapter isn't too much faster, I promise we'll be moving to a new (faster) bit of plot soon.

The Three Stoogies: Thank you, glad you liked it!

Helen: Though Arithmancy isn't math, it does revolve around the use of numbers, and we know from the books that Hermione was assigned many long, arduous-looking numerical charts as homework.

Manny654: Thank you for your kind words :) I'll try to keep updating every week, but it'll probably be more like every two (or even, dare I say it, three :/). I'm a full-time student, and my classes this semester are very demanding. Still, I promise to keep writing whenever I can, and knowing there are those out there like you who waiting excitedly for new updates certainly helps keep me motivated!

Without further ado, here's the next chapter!

Reminder: Sadly, I'm not J.K. Rowling

* * *

Chapter 14

Third Year, Part Two

Astoria Malfoy passed away in the beginning of July, five days before Rose's stay at Malfoy Manor was set to begin. Scorpius sent a letter just after sunrise to inform her and hesitantly ask whether she would be able to move up the trip to that evening; his style of writing, colder and more detached than usual, suggested he was still in shock. She wrote back in the affirmative after clearing the change with her parents (she made no attempt to conceal from them the reason for the sudden switch, as she'd been told the obituary would be published in tomorrow's Daily Prophet), then spent the rest of the morning and afternoon in a dazed blur, going wildly against her usual organized style by throwing items into her trunk without folding clothes or alphabetizing books. Finally, when she was packed and there was naught to do but wait for the allotted time, Rose could find nothing more to distract her from harsh reality.

Though Astoria had been more than kind to Rose during their first and only meeting on Platform 9 ¾, the girl found she couldn't concentrate on her sorrow for the death of the woman herself. Rather, Rose's grief focused on her friend's loss, and the pain he must be experiencing. How she longed to be with him at this very minute, so that she could… but here is where she drew a blank. What could she do to console a boy she knew rather well, though not for very long, on the loss of his mother? What, really, was there to be said? Scorpius would be grieving, yes- that was normal, unavoidable. But was there really anything she could do to lessen his suffering, or to shorten its duration? She didn't believe there was. Briefly she considered brewing a Forgetfulness Potion so that, at least temporarily, he wouldn't be troubled, but soon reprimanded herself for the thought. Playing with emotions could be disastrous when done without serious consideration of the repercussions. Scorpius needed to feel the pain of losing his mother, no matter how hard it was to bear or how deeply Rose wished she could shield him; it was necessary so that he may heal, with time.

When the moment of her departure came, she hugged her parents fiercely once more, then stepped into the emerald green flames of her own fireplace and spoke in a clear voice "Malfoy Manor." For a few moments, the world around her spun, a kaleidoscope of color. Upon reaching her destination, Rose stepped over a sophisticated black metal grate and into a beautiful drawing room. She momentarily stood in awe of the scene around her, handsome dark wood floors and paneling, amazingly detailed paintings and rugs, glass cases filled with impressive artifacts, until she saw her friend as he stood from his seat in a leather armchair. Scorpius' skin was even paler than usual, providing stark contrast with dark shadows beneath his eyes; his jumper hung from his frame in awkward places, collarbone more prominent than it had been a little over a month before. What upset Rose most, though, were his eyes: their blue-grey color had lost all depth, as if they were pools of water that had now frozen over; they were distant, cold, and seemed to cut her like glass where she stood.

After a slight, uncomfortable pause, she crossed the distance between them and embraced her friend. He did not return the gesture, but rather stood stiffly in her arms. "I'm sorry, Scor," she said, refusing to let go, and after a moment he murmured "Thank you," in a strange, almost strangled tone. "Welcome to Malfoy Manor. I should show you to your room."

The rest of the house was even grander than the drawing room, just as beautiful as Rose had expected; yet as Scorpius took her on a half-hearted tour, she could barely even focus on memorizing routes to important rooms such as the library and dining room, much less the craftsmanship of the main staircase or the numerous chandeliers set with what were probably real diamonds and emeralds. All she could really think about was the sudden reversion of her friend's demeanor back to what it must have been before that first day on the Hogwarts Express (possibly even worse), distant and seemingly devoid of emotion, and how it must reflect an even larger internal change wrought by his mother's death. No wonder his father was concerned for his mental state- it was clear the Malfoy boy had never learned how to openly express his feelings, which was relatively unsurprising given his family and what she knew of his upbringing; though Draco certainly loved his son, as had Astoria, Rose doubted the ability of both to teach Scorpius about the potential psychological damage of compartmentalization. Just as last year, her friend once again seemed determined to keep everything bottled up, though certainly to a greater extent, even if that meant shutting Rose out in the process.

After showing her around the main portion of the Manor, Scorpius left Rose to her own devices so that she may settle in and freshen up before dinner. Once she had changed out of her soot-spotted jumper and into a more elegant shift dress, she decided to test her knowledge of the Manor's layout rather than focus on the more serious matter of her friend's mental state. A good ten minutes of searching resulted in her arrival at what she thought was the library. Eager to examine the family's immense collection more thoroughly, and yearning for the familiar feelings of a book in her lap and thick parchment pages between her fingers, Rose pushed open the double doors. She immediately recoiled: she had mistakenly found her way back to the drawing room, where Scorpius' father now sat with red-rimmed eyes.

"Mr. Malfoy, I'm terribly sorry I disturbed you," she said in a rush. "I was looking for the library... I'll go now."

As she made to exit, however, he called out to stop her. "No, please, stay," Draco said hoarsely.

Unable to refuse his request, she wordlessly entered the drawing room and sat across from him, in the armchair Scorpius had recently vacated. She pretended not to notice as the man dabbed at his eyes with a handkerchief.

"I am glad you have arrived, and I hope your journey was quick and smooth."

"It was, thank you Mr. Malfoy."

"And I trust Scorpius has shown you to your room, as well as the rest of the house."

She nodded. They lapsed into an uncomfortable silence, until finally Rose resolved to address the giant in the room, as was proper. "I truly am sorry for your loss, Mr. Malfoy."

He nodded nodded. "Thank you, Rose." The girl expected this to be the end of things, but he soon continued. "And I apologize for startling you. I never spent a great deal of time in this room when my wife was alive, but now that she has passed I don't often leave it."

"Did she have a particular affinity for it, Mr. Malfoy?"

"No, I daresay she rather hated it."

She was puzzled, both about his answer and why he seemed to be opening up to her, but considered it rude to question him further; in another moment, however, her curiosity on one account was satiated (though for the latter it intensified dramatically).

Draco gestured to the glass cases lining the walls of the room, filled with everything from shrunken body parts to exquisitely sinister pieces of jewelry. "While Astoria often enjoyed examining my library of alchemical manuscripts, she was decidedly less fond of my other hobby- which is why it was relegated to a room we seldom use. And yet I can't help but wonder whether I would have recognized her symptoms more quickly, had I paid more attention to my collection of Dark artifacts." His voice lowered. "I wonder whether I could have saved her."

"I'm sure you did all you could, sir," she said softly. Thinking of Scorpius, and of how hopeless she felt when she thought of the new coldness in his grey eyes, Rose continued, "That's all any of us can do, really…though sometimes it doesn't feel like our best is nearly enough."

"Thank you," he replied. "Though it is difficult, I am slowly learning to accept my inadequacies, including my slowness in recognizing my wife's illness, and my probable blood relation to the wizards who cast the curse which killed her; but though I may eventually learn to live with myself, I don't believe I will ever truly grow used to living without her."

After a pause, Rose said hesitantly, "I only hope that Scorpius learns to grieve and heal as you seem to have, sir. From what I've seen, I'm worried for him."

Draco nodded. "I am as well."

* * *

Soon after their surprisingly heartfelt conversation in the drawing room, Mr. Malfoy and Rose Weasley sat down to a formal dinner with Scorpius. The room remained painfully silent as house-elves clad in snowy white garments delivered endless platters of food- no one had the energy or desire to make small talk, and the air hung thick with things left unsaid. Rose's concern for Scorpius only grew, as she observed him pushing food around his plate rather than consuming it. When at last the tense affair was over, she followed him up the stairs to their rooms, leaving Draco to brood over another goblet of nettle wine. Just as her friend was about to bid her goodnight outside the door of her chamber, however, she grabbed his wrist and pulled him inside. He uttered no sound of protest, merely following her example limply, as if he had been Imperiused.

"Please talk to me, Scor," she implored softly once she had closed the door behind them.

"What is there to say, Rose? My mum is dead," he replied in that same strangled tone.

"Surely you must be feeling something, right now. It's good to talk about your thoughts and emotions, not keep them all bottled up like I've seen you doing since I got here. Please don't shut me out. I came here to help you through this, not watch you drive yourself mad without eating or sleeping or talking."

He stiffened. "If you don't want to be here Rose, you are more than welcome to leave at any point."

"Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, that's not what I meant and you know it," she chastised, before softening her tone. "Of course I'll stay. For as long as you need me. But why did you invite me in the first place if you were only going to shut me out and pretend you aren't in pain?"

He closed his eyes. "What use is it to say what I'm feeling? She's gone either way."

"Because you can only accept her," she hesitated a moment before using the word, " _death_ , by mourning her first. By denying what you're feeling, all you're doing is hurting yourself more."

His eyes opened to look at her, rimmed with tears that began to slowly run down his cheeks. "But how can I let myself feel her death when it's my fault it happened? If I let myself accept she is gone… And even if I could, what does it matter if I do what's best for myself when she can't come back?"

Rose stared at her friend. "Why the bloody hell do you think losing your mum is your fault?"

Scorpius looked away from her. "She died because she- they- wanted another child. I let them down. I wasn't what they thought, what they expected me to be. Maybe if I were a Slytherin, some Potions prodigy like you, they would have been happy with just me- they wouldn't have need another kid to be what I'm not. And she never would have found that hairbrush." He lowered his voice. "I know it isn't really true- it's mad and illogical- but I can't stop thinking that if I were a Slytherin, she'd still be here."

For a few moments, Rose wasn't sure what to say. She had gotten to this point in their conversation with her Ravenclaw reasoning and Gryffindor-like brashness alone, but as those characteristics now only made her inclined to shout at him that Astoria's death wasn't his doing, it seemed this would require more emotional finesse. Looking back on her conversation with Mr. Malfoy, and how she seemed to have said what he needed to hear by relating his circumstance to her own, she resolved on a course of action.

Rose placed her hands on her friend's shoulders. "Scorpius," she said quietly. "Look at me."

His blue-grey eyes, still looking as if they were frozen over, met her own. "Your mum loved you very much; and your dad loves you too, though he isn't always the best at showing it. They were - and are - proud of you. You know that. They weren't trying to have another child to continue the Malfoy legacy in Slytherin." She paused. "Didn't you tell me your parents wanted a girl?"

Scorpius nodded.

"Well I hate to break it to you Malfoy, but although you're handsome, I really don't think you're pretty enough to qualify."

He raised his brows, the harsh line of his mouth momentarily twitching upward.

"So even if you were Sorted into Slytherin," she continued, trying to mimic James' drawling tone he employed when saying something that was simultaneously funny and offensive, "I don't quite see how you could have fulfilled their hopes on that one. It would have been entertaining to see you try though, Scorpina, and if you ever feel the urge you're free to raid my wardrobe."

Scorpius was smiling faintly, now. The color of his eyes had returned to its former warmth.

"And Scor?" she added. "If your parents were so concerned with trying to preserve Malfoy ideals, why in the name of Merlin's saggy left butt cheek would your Dad have invited a **Weasley** to stay at Malfoy Manor?"

At this he openly laughed; though the first chuckle sounded as if it had been forced out of him, once he'd started it appeared he couldn't stop. After a minute or two of hysterical laughter, tears of mirth eventually turned to ones of sorrow. Rose pulled him closer into a hug as sobs began to wrack his slight frame. He tucked his head into her shoulder, staining the front of her dress, but she couldn't care less about her clothes right now. "Rosie, I miss her," he said in a plaintive, almost childlike tone, distorted slightly from tears. "I miss her so much and it **hurts**."

* * *

Rose attended the funeral along with her parents, the Potters, and other important representatives of wizarding society. For once, Lucius Malfoy made no rude or degrading comments to any member of the Weasley family. The ceremony itself was simple and beautiful. Those who had been close to Astoria spoke of her kindness, generosity, and love for her family as she was placed inside the large and ancient Malfoy crypt. As the heavy doors of the family tomb were closed once more, a large asphodel vine with stunning white flowers grew swiftly to cover them. Rose looked across the crowd to see Neville Longbottom, who met her gaze and nodded; it seemed Mrs. Malfoy had made all kinds of unlikely friends during her lifetime.

Though many witches and wizards in attendance at first questioned the presence of the red-haired Rose Weasley in one of the seats reserved for family members, the protests were quickly hushed. This was not a day for feuds, old prejudices, or questions of blood purity. All that mattered to Rose, and to everyone who argued in her favor, was that Scorpius had refused to let her leave his side, and she had – of course – agreed.


	15. Chapter 15

Hey everyone! As always, thank you for the reviews, favorites, follows and PMs - they are greatly appreciated!

I'm sorry, I know it's been a bit over a week since I posted - this chapter, while slightly shorter than the last few, took a lot of time due to the level of detail - that being said, if you're interested in what the wands of each character mentioned say about their personalities, check out the cool stuff on wands posted in Pottermore (or just Google it, everything pops up). Also, my intense course load hasn't exactly been helping...

Right, I think that's it. Hope you enjoy, and let me know what you think!

* * *

Chapter 15

Third Year, Part Three

Rose returned home from Malfoy Manor a few days after the funeral; Scorpius and his father needed time to grieve privately, now that the former had been convinced he could be vulnerable with the latter. Andy, who recognized through their frequent correspondence that her friend was understandably melancholy due to Astoria's death and its impact on Scorpius, came to stay with the Weasleys for several weeks at the end of the summer. Rose was happy to have her classmate there as a distraction, and knowing how uncomfortable Andy seemed to be at home made her all the more satisfied at the arrangement; their mutually beneficial relationship was seen by both as a blessing. Though Albus usually did not get along with Andrea, he understood that his cousin needed the company, and personally extended the girl an invitation to his annual birthday and end of summer celebration on August 25th. In return, Andy refrained from saying anything to him that was intended to be or could be construed as an insult.

Rose looked on with particular satisfaction when Al and James attempted to help Andy improve her skills on a broomstick (even after a year of flying lessons at Hogwarts, the Muggle-born could barely stay on for more than fifteen minutes and could hover no higher than a second-story window). Their endeavor ended in near-disaster as Andy tumbled off her broom due to a strong gust of wind, dragging James with her; Albus pulled into a steep dive in what would probably a futile effort to stop their descent before they reached the ground. Just as Rose was about to go against the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, however, she heard Teddy hurriedly incant " _Arresto Momentum_ " beside her, and she watched as her three friends sank painlessly into a confused heap in the meadow. After a moment, they burst out laughing, causing Rose to smile and leading her to hope that they would all eventually become friends, or at least be able to spend time in the same room without driving one another mental. Those hopes quickly evaporated as Andy attempted to stand- James decided to trip her, sending her sprawling. She stood again, this time with a vengeance, and soon the pair was wrestling on the Potters' lawn. Though James could probably hold his own in a fight with most people, Andy was clearly his superior thanks to her years of training, and soon she was seated on James' back as he lay face-first in the grass, refusing to let him up until he apologized.

* * *

The next day, the Weasley-Potter clan ventured to Diagon Alley to purchase books and other necessities for the start of a new term at Hogwarts; in light of last year's events, Audrey and Angelina were made the designated chaperones of the group until Harry, Ginny, Hermione and Ron could get out of work to see their youngest children get their first wands. Lily and Hugo were lead from one shop to another; they bounced with excitement as they stocked up on quills, ink and parchment, though their slightly stunned expressions suggested they could hardly believe that this long-awaited day had finally arrived. After they had chosen pets to take with them to school (a ginger cat named Phoenix for Hugo, and a barn owl named Dittany for Lily), been fitted for robes by Madame Malkin's daughter, and gotten their very own cauldrons and copies of the texts required for first years, their parents appeared to escort them to Ollivanders. Rose, Andy, Albus and James chose to accompany them, and before entering the shop they were told to remain on their best behavior (this edict, of course, was mainly directed toward the eldest in their party).

As they walked into the wand shop, Rose realized with a start that Gregory Ollivander was sitting behind the counter, but after a moment her surprise faded; though she couldn't see her classmate doing well in the retail industry due to his cold nature toward those he didn't know or like, there was no real reason for him not to take an interest in his family's business. "'Ello Gregory," she said cheerfully as the adults and younger siblings began discussing matters of measurements and wand hand preference. "Did you have a good holiday?"

He gave Rose a rare smile. "I did, thank you. I was here, mostly, learning about wand making. And you, Rose? Albus? Andrea?" Here he hesitated, and his voice grew a bit colder. "James?"

They all nodded, though Rose felt less than genuine in her response- objectively speaking there had been many good moments in her summer, but when she reflected back all that she could think of was her stay at Malfoy Manor. And, of course, by now even the isolated Gregory would have heard of Astoria's death after her public obituary was published in the Daily Prophet.

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself," she said finally, to break the awkward silence beginning to form. "Wand lore is rather fascinating, isn't it?"

"Yes," he replied enthusiastically. Though their fellow Ravenclaw was stoic when it came to most topics of conversation, it seemed that Rose had stumbled onto one of the rare subjects Gregory was passionate about; it could very well be several hours before they were afforded the opportunity to politely leave during his fervent lecture. "I find it particularly interesting to observe what a witch or wizard's ultimate wand choice, or rather which wand chooses them, says about the individual's true nature." He glanced at Rose's wand, which was sticking slightly out of her pocket. "For example, Rose, your wand is made from beech wood, am I correct?"

She nodded.

The boy held up a finger before he strode to the back of the room, behind the curtain divider separating the store from the workshop. He emerged a minute or two later with a large, leather-bound tome with yellowed parchment pages. "Yes, I see. Beech with a dragon heartstring core, 11 ½ inches, reasonably supple. You're wise beyond your years, Rose Weasley." At this he bent her a small smile; it was little more than an upward quirk of the corner of his mouth, but it was still more than he had ever graced her with before.

Rose tilted her head. "Does that book have a listing of every wand ever sold here, Greg?"

He smiled brilliantly, and she was momentarily taken aback. How had she so grievously misjudged the character of a student in her year and House? Before today, she wouldn't have thought him capable of such a genuine display of friendliness and excitement. Rose made a mental note to pay more attention to Gregory Ollivander in the future – she expected it to prove an interesting study. "It does at that. I've been pouring over it in every spare moment."

"What's my wand made of, then?" asked Andy.

Gregory flipped through the book until he found the correct entry. "Cedar, phoenix feather core, 11 ¼ inches, slightly yielding."

"And mine?" questioned Albus, warming to the subject.

"Poplar wood, unicorn hair core, 11 inches, stiff," was the response.

"What about Scorpius?" Rose asked curiously.

"Acacia, phoenix feather core, 9 ¾ inches, slightly springy."

"James?" questioned Albus.

"Spruce, dragon heartstring core, 12 ½ inches, slightly pliant."

"Teddy?"

"Redwood, phoenix feather core, 12 ¾ inches, swishy."

"Victoire?"

"Elm, unicorn hair core, 10 ¾ inches, brittle."

Mr. Ollivander seemed to realize what was going on, and came behind his son to shut the book. "A true Ollivander doesn't need a written record- I remember every wand I've ever sold, just like my father before me, may he rest in peace. Give me the name of any English wizard under the age of twenty-five and I can tell you the make of their wand."

"What about Fred? Fred Weasley II?" asked Rose, curious to put this apparent expert to the test.

"Dogwood, dragon heartstring core, 11 ½ inches, pliant."

The teenagers began to pepper the craftsman with questions, while the other adults stood in the corner, amused.

"Roxanne Weasley?"

"Cherry, phoenix feather core, 12 inches, unyielding."

"Molly II?

"Silver lime, unicorn hair core, 10 ¼ inches, fairly bendy."

"Lucy?"

"Willow, unicorn hair core, 9 ½ inches, surprisingly swishy."

"Dominique?"

"Red oak, dragon heartstring core, 10 ¾ inches, reasonably bendy."

"Louis?"

"Rowan, unicorn hair core, 10 ½ inches, supple."

"Have Lorcan and Lysander Schmander come in to get their first wands yet?" Rose asked.

"Yes, lovely family, they visited just a few days ago. Lorcan was chosen by a wand made of English Oak, with a unicorn hair core, 10 inches long, solid. Lysander received one crafted from alder wood, also with a unicorn core and length of 10 inches, but quite flexible."

Rose nodded, her curiosity sated for the moment.

It took approximately another half hour for Lily and Hugo to find their ideal wands: a rigid ash wand with a dragon heartstring core, 11 ¾ inches for Lily; and for Hugo a swishy wand made of vine (like their mother's), a unicorn hair core, and 9 ¾ inches long. After a few more moments of small talk, the Weasleys and Potters quit Ollivanders and Diagon Alley.

* * *

Rose and Albus ran to Scorpius the moment they spotted him on Platform 9 ¾. Though both had promised their parents they would care for their younger siblings and aid them in boarding the Hogwarts Express, Lily and Hugo were momentarily abandoned with their trunks and pets when two familiar white-blonde heads appeared. Mr. Malfoy nodded to both after they had embraced his son, and made a polite but painfully half-hearted inquiry as to the wellbeing of their family; it was clear he was still mourning the recent loss of his wife, and rightfully so. As Albus engaged in a trivial conversation of new broomstick models with Draco, which neither party seemed particularly interested in (but both felt the need to talk about **something** , anything than what was on both of their minds), Rose turned her gaze to her friend.

Scorpius looked surprisingly well. Yes, his expression was far from cheery, and his skin was paler than usual, but he also looked as if he had regained some of the weight he had lost, and his eyes were free from most of their previous sunken shadows and their peculiar frozen look was completely absent. Though she knew from his letters that the past eight weeks had obviously been hard on him, it appeared he was slowly but surely healing from the blow life had dealt him.

Draco soon took his leave from them, once he had wrapped Scorpius in an awkward yet genuine hug; Rose was glad to see that Astoria's death had made the elder Malfoy more openly affectionate toward his son – she believed it was something they both needed.

The three took a compartment toward the back of the train, after they'd helped Hugo and Lily find one of their own with Lorcan and Lysander Schmander. And though Scorpius was tired, and much more quiet than Rose and Albus were accustomed to, the trio still had many interesting conversations about Nargles, Quidditch, new Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes products yet to be released, Muggle music, their required summer reading, and much more, just as they'd had two years ago.


	16. Chapter 16

Admit it, you thought I was dead. Well, surprise! I'm alive, and very excited that I have time to write again!

I'm sorry it's been so long, and I hope I still have some readers who are interested in finding out what happens next. At this point I basically have the entire storyline mapped out in my head, and there are some exciting things to come.

I hope this makes a good Christmas gift to you all - it would have been longer but I wanted to be sure I got it out today. So, Merry Christmas! And if you don't celebrate Christmas, then Happy Holidays.

TTFN,

Codee21

* * *

 **Chapter 16**

Third Year, Part Four

Rose sat at the long Ravenclaw table, laughing at a quiet sarcastic comment Gregory Ollivander had made concerning Headmaster Goshawk's large hat, which contained a large stuffed bird-like creature that rather looked like one of the bat bogeys she and her friends had fought off last year thanks to Fred and James. The boy seemed pleasantly surprised at her encouraging reaction, and the redhead wondered whether people often laughed at his jokes, or if he had even intended her to hear it in the first place. She would have to spend more time with him to investigate.

James' dark head was beside her, bent over one of their texts for Care of Magical Creatures that was written by none other than Luna Lovegood and her husband Rolf Schmander. This was his fourth time reading it already, and yet he never seemed to tire of the thing; Rose had only glanced through (though she had read _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ before the start of term as Hagrid had required), but her brief skim of the material had given no hint as to Al's thrall with it. Then again, who was she to judge his reading habits? Her battered copy of the famous Muggle work _Pride and Prejudice_ , a birthday gift last year from her mother, lay waiting for her in her trunk. The young Weasley was excited to see Hugo and Lily sorted (as well as Lorcan and Lysander), but a small part of her yearned to fake a sudden illness in order to return up the familiar steps to Ravenclaw Tower and read her new favorite novel in peace. But Rose couldn't do that to her family. Or Scorpius.

Looking over at the blonde boy on the other side of her, she saw that Tara Abney was trying hard to engage him in conversation from across the table. It was horribly awkward to watch, as the shy mousy 2nd year had obviously had very little if any previous interaction with Malfoy, and he continued to shrug off her attempts at kindness with uninterested nods and sighs that made the poor girl all the more bewildered and timid. Still, Rose gave her points for persistence. She hadn't considered the possibility that other Hogwarts students would take pains to be considerate to Scorpius after his loss, though in retrospect that had been a rather large oversight on her part. Of course Astoria's death had been heavily publicized throughout wizarding Britain, and at a school as big as Hogwarts there were bound to be at least a few decent students. While she took it as a hopeful sign for the future that Tara, whose Muggle-born father had been persecuted during the War, would reach out to the Malfoy boy in his time of obvious need, she knew it would probably be best for her friend if everyone treated him the same as they had before (though she could do with her family being a bit nicer to him).

Rose made a mental note to pass _Pride and Prejudice_ on to Scorpius once it seemed he would be able to focus on it, as part of the unofficial course of Muggle studies she had sworn to give him so that he would take Ancient Runes with her and Albus this year. He probably wouldn't like it, though: too soft and romantic for his taste. Maybe in a few more years…

Just as Rose was about to intervene in Tara's awkward attempt at compassion, the doors to the Great Hall swung open and the terrified gaggle of first years processed down the aisle. She instantly spotted Lily's shock of bright red hair behind Mary Parker's younger brother Edmund, and saw the less vivid hue of Hugo's head from farther down the line. The Sorting went by quickly, and after what seemed like a few moments it was her cousin's turn on the stool. As Rose had expected, before the hat had come to rest on Lily's flame-like locks, the hat shouted a deafening "GRYFFIN-"

A lion's roar filled the room, drowning out the Sorting Hat before it could finish the final syllable. Rose grabbed her wand from her robe pocket and felt Scorpius do the same beside her as his elbow jabbed her side. The Ravenclaw boy looked around wildly, searching for any hint of danger, moving between Rose and Albus and pushing them back behind him so that their knees hit the edge of the bench they had just been sitting on. From across the hall, Rose saw Andy make a similar protective stance in front of … **James**? What in Merlin's name was she doing, sitting with **James**? Just last week at Al's birthday, the two hadn't been able to stand each other, and yet… James shoved his way out from behind Andy as the roar grew louder, seeming to bicker with her about something as he gestured to the high-vaulted ceiling. Rose followed his gaze and saw a great, cartoonish lion wearing a jumper of Gryffindor scarlet and gold appear above their heads, holding a great banner bearing Lily's name as it did a strange kind of jig, before disappearing into a great cloud of golden dust that filled the air of the Great Hall like fake snow in a glittering globe.

After a moment of shocked silence, the student body burst out into laughter. Tears streamed from Rose's eyes, though through her blurry vision she was able to see both Albus and Scorpius laughing as well. She had almost forgotten what her friend's laughter had sounded like when he wasn't trying to hold back tears. Hagrid, Professor Longbottom, and most of the other professors seemed to be having trouble keeping straight faces. Gregory Ollivander began to sneeze uncontrollably from across the table as the dust began to settle on his hair and robes, sending Rose into another fit of hysterics.

From across the room, she heard Lily's shrill voice rise above the din. " **JAMES, FRED, I WILL MURDER YOU.** "

* * *

After Headmaster Goshawk had restored order and removed the strange golden powder from the Great Hall, the Sorting commenced. Lorcan Schmander was quickly sorted into Gryffindor, and his brother into Ravenclaw. Albus made room for Lysander next to him at the House table and patted the small blonde boy on the shoulder consolingly, as he appeared to be trying not to cry. Apparently the thought that he would be separated from his twin had never occurred to him, and the relatively short distance between the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor tables probably felt worlds away to him right now. Rose was just surprised Al had had the sense to see Lysander was upset.

Soon after, it was Hugo's time to be Sorted. After almost three minutes sitting under the brim of the Sorting Hat, Rose's brother was finally placed in Gryffindor. Her heart soared for him: though he would have done well in Ravenclaw, which most likely had been the hat's second choice, Hugo had always wanted to follow in their father's red and gold footsteps. She saw relief fill his features as the verdict was announced, and he nearly sprinted with glee to join Lily, James and the others as they cheered wildly from the Gryffindor table.

* * *

After they had returned from the feast to the Ravenclaw common room, Rose searched for Scorpius among the sea of familiar faces. Finally, she spotted a shock of platinum blonde near the window overlooking the Black Lake. As she headed toward him, she wondered absently why he and Albus both looked as if they desperately needed haircuts. Was this some teenage boy trend that she would never understand?

Wordlessly, she handed him the CD and portable player she had just unearthed from the bottom of her trunk. He squinted at the title, then looked up at her confusedly. " _The Beatles: Greatest Hits._ Rose, what is this?"

"Your homework," she smiled. "Let the Muggle studies begin."

"But how the bloody hell does this thing work?" he said as he attempted to open the disc player, but only succeeded in spilling its batteries on the floor.

Her grin grew wider. "That's the lesson. Goodnight!"

Scorpius shook his head ruefully as Rose weaved her way through the crowd toward the girl's dormitories. What in Merlin's name had he gotten himself into?


	17. Chapter 17

I was going to make you all wait a full week to post this… and then I remembered how many months you had all waited before I wrote Chapter 16, so I caved. Here it is, nice and long, so I hope you enjoy it! As always, follows, favorites, comments and PMs are all greatly appreciated!

Also, on a housekeeping note (though I doubt many of you read this author-y stuff anyway), there will be a section coming up in the next year that I desperately want to write. The thing is, it won't be from Rose's perspective, or even Scorpius's. So, my lovelies, I am leaving the choice up to you - either way I will write this glorious scene, but from a reader's perspective, would you rather I include it in a Thorns Have Roses chapter, or write it as a one-shot and state in the description that it's from the same universe? Place your vote in the comments, and I'll listen to whichever side persuades me!

Friendly reminder, I do NOT own Harry Potter - just in case you'd forgotten during that long hiatus

Enjoy! :)

* * *

 **Chapter 17**

 **Third Year, Part Five**

Rose regretted convincing Albus to take Arithmancy within ten minutes of the start of their first lesson. Though his intelligence and hard work ethic would ensure her cousin would most likely not receive anything below an Acceptable if he pursued the subject, it was clear that he would never do as well as his Ravenclaw nature would aspire to. As Professor Vector strode primly around the room while demonstrating the complicated numerical inputs necessary for using an Arithmancy calculator, her perfectly triangular magenta hat sitting atop her impeccable grey curls, the redhead knew that Albus would never get along with Professor nor subject. It was as if the two were immiscible, like water and oil as they separated instantly upon contact. Albus looked vaguely sick to his stomach the entire period, and seemed to nearly run out of room 7A after the bell rang to signal the change of class.

"Bloody hell. That was worse than the maths homework you used to bring back from that Muggle school of yours, Rose. Complex proofs to determine that 7 is, in fact, 7? Analyzing the effects of birthdate on a wizard's life expectancy using number charts taller than I am? I know I said I'd take this with you both, and I hate giving up on a challenge…"

"Al, this wouldn't be a challenge – I know you could do it if you set your mind to it, this isn't a contest. It would just be torturous for you," Rose replied. "I'm sorry, I should never have-"

"Don't apologize, I agreed to it. Mr. Idealistic thought he could be the best at whatever he set his mind to." He bit his lip absently. "Now to see whether it's too late to switch subjects."

"What else would you take?" asked Rose. "If you drop Arithmancy, you'll still be taking Care of Magical Creatures and Ancient Runes, and third years only need to take two extra classes."

"Yes, well, I'd like to take three if I can. It should be possible, each subject has only had one class so far, I can borrow the textbook from someone and read it in a night: I can't see why Professor Flitwick wouldn't approve."

The three parted at the end of the corridor as Albus strode off in the direction of their Head of House's office, and Rose and Scorpius headed in the direction of the library to begin the extensive homework Professor Vector had assigned them. "I'm actually rather excited for this class," Rose admitted once her cousin was out of earshot. "I know it isn't Al's cup of tea, but-"

Scorpius interrupted her, speaking for the first time since class had ended. "You went to a Muggle school?"

She smiled wryly. "Did you really think I would wait until I turned eleven to take any classes? Did you think Mum wouldn't try to persuade me, even if I didn't want to?"

"But the curriculum is completely different," he protested. "I don't see how it would be useful for a witch or wizard."

Rose thought of Andy, and of the girl's proficiency with Astronomy due to her experience with its Muggle counterpart. "I wouldn't be so sure. Some things translate well. I can speak and write a good bit of French for example, which is useful in and of itself, but it should also help with Ancient Runes. And my knowledge of algebra, though rather limited, should still be of use in this class."

Scorpius made a face. "What is algebra? Even the sound of it is rather painful."

"Oh, but it's fascinating! See, Muggles discovered patterns between numbers and nature ages ago, all on their own... though some suggest that Pythagoras, Descartes and Fibonacci were all really Squibs, but that's another matter entirely. Muggles didn't have the knowledge of magic necessary to really understand the relationships they discovered, so they invented these entire systems of treating and manipulating numbers to make sense of them; its incredibly similar to what we'll be doing in Arithmancy, though the functions themselves will no doubt be different, and the outcome is magical rather than mundane. From that, though, Muggles are able to apply all the other theories they have about the world, everything from finding how much metal they need to make a certain size doorknob to sending rockets to the moon. I haven't had much opportunity to study calculus, but – why **are** you looking at me that way?"

Scorpius tried to hide his affectionate smile, suppressing the urge to ruffle her frizzy red hair as he knew by now that it usually made her cross. He grabbed her in a one-armed hug instead, leaving her momentarily startled before she returned the embrace. "C'mon Rosie, we should try to finish this assignment before Quidditch tryouts this weekend."

* * *

Albus met them in the Great Hall for dinner that evening, sitting across from Rose and next to Lysander Schmander; though the first year was apparently enjoying his classes, it was clear he wished he was in the same House as Lily, Hugo and his brother, and had yet to make any particular Ravenclaw friends. The young Potter appeared dazed as he sat down. "Professor Flitwick has left Hogwarts."

Rose, Scorpius and Lysander looked at him in shock as he quickly proceeded in his story. "I went to his office, but he wasn't there, and all his stuff was gone. Ganesh Wood, you know, the 7th year Gryffindor Seeker, was levitating some boxes in – said he was helping is Aunt Padma get sorted. Apparently, Padma Patil is our new Charms Professor. And Cho Chang was promoted to Head of Ravenclaw."

Lysander's timid voice piped up next to him. "Padma Patil is Ganesh Wood's aunt?"

Rose was also surprised at this news, though Scorpius answered in a self-assured tone that left no room for doubt: "Yes, well, he's the son of Parvati Patil after all."

"Oliver Wood and Parvati Patil are **married**?" asked Rose incredulously.

"That's a bit of a logical leap, Rose, but in this case you're right. They got married just two years after the Battle of Hogwarts, and I believe they had Ganesh two years after that."

"How did I not know this?" Rose questioned herself, speaking out loud without meaning to.

"They've tried to stay out of the public eye, and have you ever had a reason to talk to Ganesh?" Scorpius shrugged. "I only know because of my family's obsession with keeping track of bloodlines."

"Can we get back to the point, here?" Albus cut in. "Professor Flitwick was supposed to have a real retirement after this year, he would only leave now if he was extremely ill. I hope he'll be alright."

"We should talk to Charlie McLeod – his mother is a Healer, he may have heard something from her."

A quick consultation of the Hufflepuff boy confirmed that Professor Flitwick was now a patient at St. Mungo's, though he claimed not to know any more than that. The news soon spread around the Great Hall, gathering speed as the gossip greatly mutated the story – to hear it now, it seemed that Professor Flitwick had somehow contracted Spattergroit, Dragon Pox, and Scrofungulus all at once, and the entirety of the St. Mungo's staff was working feverishly day and night to cure him. There was even a nasty rumor, obviously spread by those who did not like her extensive homework assignments and penchant for choosing favorites, that Professor Chang had poisoned him in order to secure the position of Head of House a year early.

Scorpius gripped Rose's hand tightly under the table as Gregory Ollivander joined them at the Ravenclaw table, speculating how unlikely it was that the extremely old professor would make it to Christmas. She turned to face her friend and saw his eyes flashing quickly in pain before he looked away from her, his normal reserved demeanor quickly returning as he let go over her hand. He quickly stood and left the table, abandoning his untouched plate of food. She looked after him concernedly for a moment, and considered following before deciding that he needed to be alone with his thoughts; if he'd wanted her company, he would have asked – they were close enough for her to trust that, now. Rose knew on the whole he was getting better, slowly, but in moments like these when he was suddenly reminded of his mother, her heart ached for him.

* * *

Rose eagerly counted down the days until the Christmas holidays. She, Albus and Scorpius were all happily overwhelmed with their courseloads, combined with their intense Quidditch practice schedule; she and Scorpius had both made it off the reserve team, joining Albus on the roster as Chaser and Keeper, respectively – they won their first match against Hufflepuff by a landslide, and greatly looked forward to beating Slytherin in February. One of her proudest moments from the game was the amazing interception she'd made that allowed her team to make their first score. As she'd looked out into the crowd, she'd caught Gregory Ollivander staring at her – Gregory Ollivander, who had never been to a Quidditch game in his life, as he'd claimed while they'd studied Arithmancy together last week in the library because Scorpius was feeling under the weather. Once again, Rose was struck by a deep-seated curiosity, a need to get to know him better; for the rest of the time before the Christmas holidays she tried to do so, but to little avail. Finally, she settled on spending time with him during their next Hogsmeade trip.

Their classes had all been going extremely well. Professor Patil had proven herself to be a truly gifted, knowledgeable, and easily understood teacher; though Rose was sorry to hear about Professor Flitwick's continuing case of Dragon Pox, the details of which were eventually released to the student body by the Headmaster, and though she sincerely hoped the Healers at St. Mungo's would help him pull through, his former post as Charms teacher was in good hands. Albus was even enjoying Divination, which had been the only elective class whose professor had been willing to let him enroll late. The centaur Firenze, who had returned to teach at Hogwarts once Professor Trelawney had retired, was surprisingly understanding about the boy's predicament with Arithmancy; according to Albus the centaur had scoffed at the subject during their private meeting during the second week of term, because it used numbers and proofs to tell the future when one only need look at the stars. Now the two of them seemed to get along splendidly, and Albus rose to the top of the Divination class. Rose remained head of their year, however, as she quickly secured the top spot in both Arithmancy and Care of Magical Creatures (though Scorpius was close behind her in the former, and Charlie McLeod in the latter). Andy Sterling narrowly beat her in Study of Ancient Runes, but she could live with that. All the other standings remained the same, and overall the trio was pleased. Then again, there would always be room for improvement after the holidays.

With promises to write, and a vow on Scorpius' end to visit the Potters' for New Years, the three friends shared one final hug before parting at Kings Cross Station. Before Rose could search for her parents in the crowd, however, she spotted Andy speaking privately with James not too far off, their body language closed off and secretive as they attempted to hide behind a pillar from the rest of the Hogwarts crowd. Unable to bear not knowing any longer, she set off to find out what exactly had been going on between them these past few months. Rose cornered the tall brunette just as James slipped away into the crowd. She crossed her arms over her chest. "Okay Sterling, this is the second time I've seen you with my prattish cousin since the start of term. I won't let you leave this platform until I'm told everything."

"You know I could pick you up and move you out of the way if I really wanted, right?" Andy sighed.

"But that won't stop me from trying," Rose retorted. Her tone grew more serious. "Andy, James is obnoxious. I love him because I have to as my cousin, and he has his good moments, but he's a troublemaker, does everything he can to get under your skin, and he just turned fifteen but he's gone through more girls than I can count. I'm glad you two seem to finally be getting along, but I'm worried you'll get hurt."

"Ro, don't get your knickers in a twist, we aren't dating. I don't even turn fourteen until January. And getting along isn't the right word either, he bugs the bloody hell out of me sometimes."

"But you like him," the redhead accused.

Andy looked down, fidgeting with her chin-length hair. "I tolerate him… he isn't always a prat." She looked up to meet her friend's eye. "Dad writes me, sometimes, when he's in a particularly foul mood. James likes to torment me when I'm sitting by myself in the common room, and one day at the end of last year he pulled one of Dad's letters from my hand and started reading it to tease. When he realized how awful it was he gave it back and apologized … and he wrote me every week over the summer to make sure I was okay."

Rose was stunned. This was James? Her cousin James? Who always read her diary when she stayed at the Potters unless she locked it up first? Who put Charlie McLeod (though accidentally) in the hospital with his Bat Bogey hex? Who could be protective of his close friends and family members, sure, but if one so much as hinted at an emotion ran in the opposite direction? What in the name of Merlin's saggy left…

"Look, I know he's a prat," Andy continued. "He chewed me out for trying to defend him with that great big lion thing. As if I can control my own reflexes. But you know I'm careful when it comes to people, Rose. Don't you think I'm capable of making my own choices, here?"

Rose persisted. "Just be careful, alright? … And have things been okay at home?"

Andy shrugged. "Same as always, I suppose. Look, I should go meet my parents before Dad gets mad 'cause he can't find me."

Rose seized her friend's shoulder to stop her as she tried to walk past, causing the girl to jump. "Sorry, should have known not to grab at you, or to corner you like this for that matter – But you're always more than welcome to stay with me if things get really bad, alright? And I don't mean to pry, I know we haven't talked much about the details of your family life, but I'll always be just an owl or bus ride away."

Andrea slipped out from under her grasp without meeting her friend's eye. "Sure. Thanks. Happy Holidays, Rose Weasley."


	18. Chapter 18

In celebration of (almost) finishing this horrid pre-med questionnaire for my college, I wanted to post this chapter a day early! Cheers!

As always, reviews, favorites, follows and PMs are greatly appreciated - they keep me excited about this story, and honestly I read each and every one multiple times while smiling like an idiot.

That's all for now folks - I know this chapter is a bit slow (and fast simultaneously, with the time jumps and all), but there were some loose ends that needed tying up before we dive into a new year at Hogwarts with new adventures (and problems…). I'm really looking forward to posting the next one :)

* * *

 **Chapter Eighteen**

 **Third Year, Part Six**

On Christmas Day, just before Rose and her family were set to leave for the Burrow, Circe returned with a letter from Scorpius:

Dear Rosie,

Thank you for the Muggle book, it looks like it will be an interesting read; I'm not sure what a mockingbird is, nor why I would want to kill one, but I'm excited to find out. I hope you liked the Potions book. The man who sold it to me said it was too advanced for a third year, but I have faith in you.

I'm greatly looking forward to seeing you and Albus at the Potters. Dad's been asking about you the past few days, how you're doing and what your plans are for this summer – as if you would know by now, when it's six months away. I think he wants me to invite you to stay with us again, if you're willing of course.

It was hard, waking up on Christmas morning without Mum, but we're managing. Grandfather has thus far avoided acting like a bigot – I'll let you know if he's able to keep it up.

Best,

Scor

She quickly wrote Scorpius back, then headed to the Burrow with her family. The Weasley Christmas celebration was filled with music, merriment, and mayhem as always. Molly, Hugo and Lucy were all turned red and green by wizard crackers that had been mysteriously tampered with (Rose would bet ten knuts it was Roxanne), requiring a color-changing spell from Hermione before they could return to normal; Lily nearly strangled James and Fred after they set off the dancing Gryffindor lion again during dinner (Nana Weasley saved her the trouble by giving them one of the loudest and longest lecture of their lives); and Albus was "accidentally" (in Teddy's loose definition of the word) doused with ice water twice. When they returned she wrote Scorpius a longer letter detailing her family's Christmas-induced insanity, before falling into bed, exhausted.

* * *

Andrea Sterling showed up on the Weasley's doorstep on New Years Day. After Hermione gave the girl a cup of tea, she sent an owl to Rose at the Potters; her daughter returned soon after by Floo, confused and anxious to see her friend. As she stepped out of the fireplace she paused for a moment to evaluate the scene in front of her. Andy's trunk sat by the front door, with a large wicker basket sitting on top that likely contained her cat Smudge. The girl's hair was disheveled, her eyes red-rimmed as she clutched the mug of tea in her hands. Wordlessly, Rose stepped up to her friend and opened her arms. Andy closed the gap and gripped her tightly in a hug for a few moments. The two sat down next to each other, alone; Hermione had left the room to give them privacy.

"No, everything's not okay at home," Andy said in a low tone. "Though I gather you've pieced that together by now."

"…Do you want to talk about it?" replied the redhead hesitantly. The conversation in which she had the least amount of skill had cropped up again: comforting a friend in need.

"Not much to discuss, really. Dad's an arse. He yells at Mum, constantly, calling her worthless, names I'd rather not repeat. And me, when I'm there. He can't knock me around anymore, not since I pushed myself to get good at MMA. Threats and insults were always more his style anyway, though," she snorted. "My brother went off to Uni this year, and Dad was livid that he didn't come home for the holiday. Threatened to cut Michael off, started saying nasty things. Mum tried to defend him, but then when I talked to her alone later she started guilting me for going off to Hogwarts and leaving her alone with Dad, saying it was my fault I was a witch, and if I were normal Dad would stop being so horrible. Then this morning he started going at Mum again… and I couldn't take it anymore." She smiled grimly. "I'm sorry I didn't give you much warning."

"No, Andy, you know you're always welcome here," replied Rose, head swimming. How was she supposed to respond to this? The admission itself certainly wasn't unexpected, though the redhead hadn't known quite how bad things were for her friend at home. How could Andrea's parents treat their daughter that poorly? How could **any** parents do that? She couldn't imagine being so mistreated by her own family. "Andy… why do you stay with them?"

"Because I love them, crazy as that sounds. Or I love Mum and Mike, at least. If Dad died tomorrow, I think I'd dance on his grave."

"But your mother, she shouldn't be blaming these things on you."

"Maybe she's right," was the quiet response.

"Andy, how can you think that? You have no control over what your father says or does, and your mother knows that. If she hated him that much, she should have left him ages ago. Besides, it sounds like if you weren't a witch he would just find something else to be upset about."

The girl sighed heavily. "Intellectually, I know you're right. It's just hard, living there."

"Then why do you stay?"

"Because I really do love them. When I'm around, Dad has another target besides Mom. It makes things easier on her. And besides, who else would pay for my schoolbooks? I can't leave until I get a steady job and have enough money to be financially independent. I'm too young to get a loan, and every Muggle bank in London knows my family by reputation if not direct association – if I asked for money they'd think I was crazy."

"What about your brother?"

"He's on full scholarship at uni, and he's been guaranteed a position in a hospital after graduation. He can afford to face Dad's wrath."

"Will you get in trouble for staying here?"

Andy winced. "Yes." She flashed a forced smile. "But I'll deal with that later. I can handle things myself, I just needed a break."

Now it was Rose's turn to force a smile. "Well, we can certainly accommodate that. I was just at the Potters' with Scorpius and Albus, actually. Would you rather go over there, or stay here?"

"Let's go there. The more the merrier."

Rose secretly sent off an owl to Albus just before they left, while Andy was in the loo.

Al,

Andy and I are on our way over. If you do anything mean to her whatsoever, when we get back to school I will jinx you into the next century.

Tell James to behave himself, too.

-Rose

* * *

On Saturday, March 14th, Rose awoke at school, horrified to find that her bed hangings had been decked with embarrassing family portraits of herself: a baby Rose being toilet trained; a five year-old Rose sliding off her broomstick, hanging on by her knees, her father chasing her fruitlessly as she was zigged and zagged in every direction; a seven year-old Rose dressed in horrid pink robes Luna had given her that she'd absolutely adored, missing her two front teeth and smiling wildly; and countless others, each more humiliating than the first. She loved the pictures themselves, of course… but what in Merlin's name were they doing **here**? Someone would pay, dearly.

The young Weasley raced down the stairs, and was confronted with Albus and Scorpius waiting for her in the common room, grinning broadly. A purple-frosted cake sat in the window seat next to them, and each held a parcel in their laps. "Happy Birthday Rose!" they cried as she came into their line of sight. "We hope you liked the decorations," Albus added wryly. "Just a little something to celebrate your life by."

"You," she pointed at Scorpius, "may not have known any better, so you're forgiven. But you," and here she pointed at her cousin, "are getting the silent treatment for at least a week for this."

Albus rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes, we know, you hate celebrating your birthday. Well, two years of ignoring it here was enough. So come eat your cake that we stole from the kitchens and open your presents already."

Rose arched her eyebrow. "And if I refuse?"

Albus held up a familiar brown leather book. "Normally, on any other day, I would just let you be. But desperate times call for desperate measures. I'll tell Gregory Ollivander that you've been drawing little hearts all around his name in your diary."

Albus spent the rest of the day in the Hospital Wing after Rose's Entomorphis Hex caused him to sprout feelers and wings like an insect. He wisely refused to name the culprit to Madame Longbottom. She wasn't sure how her cousin, usually so insightful when it came to her emotions, had managed to be so off base on this occasion, though he had never quite understood her hatred for her birthday. Oh well. Hopefully this occasion had been a learning experience for him.

Rose sat a while later with Scorpius in the common room, eating the pilfered cake and, for once, neglecting her schoolwork. "Maybe birthdays aren't so bad," she smiled.

"See?" her friend nudged her. "What have I been telling you?"

They lapsed into comfortable silence for a few moments. Just as Rose was about to ask exactly how they had managed to sneak into the girls' dormitories to hang the photographs, none other than Gregory Ollivander himself hesitantly approached the pair. "Rose?" he asked. "Is this a bad time?"

Rose felt the sudden desire to smooth down her unruly red hair, and wished she had bothered to change out of her pajamas before rushing downstairs this morning. She suppressed the urge, however; there was nothing she could do about her appearance now, and fidgeting with her hair or clothes would only draw more attention to them. "No, of course not Gregory. What is it?"

He made a slight grimace. "Well, I won't be able to join you in Hogsmeade tomorrow – Professor Benton, my Muggle Studies teacher, assigned us to read some book called _A Tale of Two_ Cities, and though it's rather dull so far and isn't due until next Monday, I should probably get to work. Next time?"

"Sure," she smiled thinly. "Next time."

As Gregory walked away, Scorpius let out a snicker he could no longer contain. "He really has no idea how much of a mess he just made of this, does he? I trust there will be no more doodles with his name in your diary? Not that I'd go looking," he quickly amended. "That was Al's idea."

She tossed her head, sending her messy red hair flying out in all directions and speaking in an imperious tone. "Yes, well, how could I **possibly** have feelings for someone who insults the great Charles Dickens so callously?"

"Rosie? Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," she replied.

"Gregory Ollivander?" he asked her, not making eye contact. "Why?"

She shrugged. "He was kind, and smart … and not one of my relatives, which seems to be half the school these days. Why do you ask?"

"Well, he's decent enough, I suppose." Here he raised his gaze to meet hers. "Not that it matters now, obviously. How could you be with someone who doesn't appreciate Dickens? Clearly you've done more for my Muggle studies than Professor Benton ever could have… That was a shite thing for him to do, on your birthday no less. You deserve better."

He refused to elaborate, and so Rose was forced to let the subject drop. "Fine," she said, and reached to smear purple frosting on his nose. "That's what you get for making cryptic comments." The old bright, uninhibited smile that had first made her trust him on the Hogwarts Express came to his face, and Rose suddenly felt more content than she had in a year, childishly proud of having elicited this moment of true happiness from him. Even if she'd had to celebrate her birthday and be turned down by her crush to do so.

* * *

The months seemed to fly by of their own accord, and all too soon the term was at a close. So many milestones had passed this year that as Rose looked back to the first of September, as well as forward to their coming fourth year, she felt much older than her years should allow.

Hugo and Roxanne battled it out in the school's Wizard's Chess Tournament; it had taken Hugo two hours to dethrone his cousin, the current champion, but ultimately he succeeded. Roxanne dealt with the defeat gracefully, though Rose suspected she would return next year with a vengeance. Hugo, of course, wouldn't have it any other way.

Ravenclaw lost the Quidditch Cup and the House Cup to Slytherin, though Rose hoped that after the Flint brothers (as well as Gryffindor's Ganesh Wood) graduated, her House would have a real chance at the title. But really, she was just content to finally have made it on the team with her two best friends.

Molly Weasley, wonder of all wonders, had plucked up enough courage to ask out her crush. She and Ravenclaw's own Alexander Inglebee were now going steady, and Rose thought they made a very cute (though sometimes painfully shy and awkward) couple.

Andy Sterling told Rose at the end of the year that she could expect a letter from her about spending time with the Weasleys, which Rose agreed to enthusiastically. Albus had been on his best behavior during Andy's last visit, and the redhead rather hoped it would stay that way. She'd received no further information on the situation with James, but figured it was best not to pry.

With Professor Chang's aid, Scorpius cast his first Patronus during the last week of classes; it had taken the form of a fox, the same as his mother before him. Rose stayed up late with him that night, borrowing James' Invisibility Cloak so they could sneak up to the Astronomy Tower and speak privately. Scorpius cried on her shoulder for a while, but when he became calmer, the two sat in comforting silence and watched the rain swirling around the tower as its wind bent the trees in the Forbidden Forest. It was hard for him, missing her. Rose couldn't imagine the pain he was going through. And yet, all things considered, she thought he would pull through just fine, given enough time.

And with that, and after a round of finals that left them all eager to catch up on their sleep, their third year ended. It had been a difficult one, emotionally speaking, but Rose thought they were all rather stronger for it as they came out on the other side. As she sat with Scorpius and Albus on the Hogwarts Express headed back to London, though, her cousin with his nose in a book and her friend listening to the iPod she had lent him, she secretly wondered what new troubles and adventures next year would bring. She arrived at the conclusion as they pulled into Platform 9 ¾ that they could get through anything together, as long as it didn't involve celebrating her birthday. If that happened again, Albus would end up with more than just some temporary antennae and wings to show for it.


	19. Chapter 19

So everyone, you have that red head girl 14 to thank for the really early update - there was no way I would let a review sit for a week when there was a fix in next chapter I'd already written :) Enjoy

* * *

Chapter 19

Fourth Year, Part One

The summer seemed to drag on longer than Rose had anticipated. Not to say that she wasn't busy, of course. Andy visited for two weeks at the end of June, and was only allowed to leave after promising that she'd visit again if things got too bad for her to remain home. Rose also had a surprisingly heartfelt conversation with Albus concerning their future career plans; she had absolutely no idea what she wanted to do after Hogwarts, and was surprised her cousin was bringing these things up so early. "Al, you haven't even turned fourteen yet. What's the hurry to determine the rest of your life?"

"Well, Dominique will be graduating this year – you know she'll have some big job in the International Association of Quidditch set up for her afterwards, or something of the sort. Victoire's already become so important in the Department of International Magical Cooperation; in ten years she'll be running the place. Lucy's wanted to be a Healer since before she could walk. I'm convinced Roxanne can do anything and everything she sets her mind to. Scorpius is an obvious candidate to become an Auror, even Dad says so – his skills in Defense Against the Dark Arts have already got him noticed, and he said himself he likes the idea. And you, Potions prodigy that you are, will have no trouble doing something in that vein –"

"Albus, I'm not a –"

"Nonsense, don't start, you went through that advanced book Scorpius sent you for Christmas in a little over a month. Did you know most of the potions included in there aren't even in the Hogwarts curriculum because they're considered too difficult?"

"I don't see how this is my fault, Al."

"Rose, I'm not blaming you for anything. I'm bloody proud of you. But everyone else seems to have the rest of their lives figured out, one way or another… so where does that leave me?"

"Louis doesn't," Rose retorted. "Neither does Molly, for that matter, or James, or Fred, and they all graduate before we do. Merlin's beard, Teddy still doesn't have any ideas about his future, except that it involves snogging Victoire, and he graduated years ago; not that I'm asking you to aspire to his level of nonchalance, of course. I know these things are scary to think about, but we still have time. And it'll work out, you know it will. What happened to my Mr. Idealistic?

Albus grinned. "Still here, I suppose. Trying to be pragmatic for once, though I guess I should leave that up to you."

"Good idea," she replied before ruffling his already messy black hair. She sighed, realizing how long it had become. "Honestly, will you ever get a haircut?"

* * *

Rose visited Malfoy Manor at the beginning of July after a formal invitation sent from Mr. Malfoy himself; the redhead supposed she had secured a position in his good books after the emotional support she had shown Scorpius last year. The offer had been open to Albus as well, but Harry and Ginny had chosen that week to take their children (and Teddy) on a much-needed vacation to some remote island or other. Ron and Hermione had considered making it a joint vacation, but it was ultimately decided that the latter had too much work at the Ministry to do this summer, and their own family trip was postponed to the winter holidays. Rose, therefore, was left free to accept Scorpius' invitation and in desperate need of some company.

Though Lucius Malfoy took pains to remain out of sight while she stayed at the Manor, remaining locked in his wing of the house, Rose was pleasantly surprised that he did not start any brawls; the evidence of his temper was still evident around the manor, as the knives he had sent flying in a fit of rage had yet to be removed from the walls in which they had magically embedded themselves. She made several jokes concerning King Arthur and Excalibur, and when she realized Scorpius didn't understand the reference she made it a point to watch several Muggle movies on the subject with him, including the Disney classic _The Sword in the Stone_ that she'd loved as a child. They'd had to frequently pause them, however, as she was asked to explain to an incredulous Scorpius how Muggles made special effects without magic. He was also very confused at their depictions of Merlin, as he'd thought that Muggles had never even considered the existence of witches and wizards; of course, this led to his introduction to _The Lord of the Rings_ and other films of the sort, all of which he watched with a childlike fascination. "Muggles are more ingenious then we give them credit for," he asserted after a long movie marathon, as they lay sprawled across the floor of his room, cocooned in a nest (or, rather, a small fortress) of throw pillows and blankets.

"Grandpa Weasley will be thrilled to hear you think so," she teased. "Be sure to start a conversation with him about Muggle cinemas when you come stay with us, he'll be thrilled someone else shares his enthusiasm. And if you do it in front of my Dad, there's the slightest chance that he may possibly like you just a little bit more."

"Progress is progress," Scorpius laughed, smiling widely. "And what's a cinema?"

"That's where Muggles go to watch the latest films."

"They have special buildings where they go to watch these? Why?"

Rose shrugged. "It's a different experience, I suppose. The same as listening to music on the radio, as opposed to seeing it live."

Scorpius seemed confused. "Are you saying that Muggles will **perform** the films themselves in a cinema?"

Rose pondered the question for a moment. "No, I suppose you're right, my analogy wasn't quite correct. What you're referring to is a theater, which is another matter entirely."

"So Muggles do that, then? Perform films?"

"Well, they aren't films exactly – we call them plays. But yes, Muggles will act out stories on a stage for a live audience. There's a rather famous one about a witch, actually, but you'd need to see _The Wizard of Oz_ first…"

"Are you suggesting we go see one, then? A play?" he asked excitedly.

She smiled. "The trip would take some planning, but if you'd like to, I certainly wouldn't be opposed to being your tour guide. Someday."

She added soon after, "I'm sure we could convince Albus to join us, as well."

To this, Scorpius only nodded.

* * *

The trio was reunited for Albus' birthday at the end of August, followed the next day by their annual trip with the rest of the Weasley clan to Diagon Alley. It was a beautiful summer day; the air was warm on their skin and smelled faintly of earth and flowers, the sky a vivid shade of cerulean blue speckled with fluffy white clouds that drifted lazily overhead. After quickly visiting Flourish & Blott's, the Apothecary, and all their other necessary stops with Harry and Ginny as chaperones, they decided to sit outside Fortescue's for as long as they could and bask in the sunshine while eating ice creams. A large portion of Hogwarts students seemed to have chosen that day to do their back-to-school shopping, and many stopped to talk with the three as they passed by with their friends and families. Rose laughed along with Albus as Mary Parker made a withering joke about Gobstones to Maeve Macmillian, both of whom were part of a small cluster of fourth years and young Weasleys gathered around their table. The redhead joined the two girls to go to the loo a few minutes later, entrusting her toffee apple ice cream to her friends (though she wouldn't be surprised if most had mysteriously disappeared by the time she returned).

"Rose, can you believe the way Gregory Ollivander has been staring at you this entire time?" Maeve giggled once they were out of earshot of the boys.

Rose blushed a furious shade of red and ducked her head to avoid eye contact. "Yes, well, he's very sweet-"

"Sweet? Merlin, just seeing him **smile** gives me a toothache."

"Well, seeing as I'm not interested in Greg anymore, perhaps you should have a go at him," Rose shot back slyly.

"Why aren't you, though?" Mary asked. "Toward the end of last term you seemed mad about the boy."

"We were supposed to go to Hogsmeade together last March, but he cancelled suddenly and the only excuse he had was schoolwork. Scorpius made me realize-"

Maeve rolled her eyes. "Of course, I forgot, Malfoy's word is law."

The young Weasley huffed, frustrated. She was beginning to remember why she didn't usually spend much time with girls she wasn't related to (with the exception of Andy, who had even less of a penchant for gossip than she did). "And what do you mean, exactly?"

"Rose, I know he can be nice and all, and he seems to care for you," said Mary, "but how can you stand being such close friends with him, much less trust him with romantic advice? He's so … cold."

" **Cold** isn't the right word," Rose quickly rebutted. "He's shy. Civil, decorous, terse, refined, maybe sometimes pretentious, but certainly not cold. Not anymore, at least. And certainly not to me. Bloody hell, sometimes I can't get him to shut his trap."

Mary shrugged. "Well, just as a second opinion, I'd suggest you think again about Gregory Ollivander, or 'Greg' as you called him," she smirked. "I, meanwhile, will continue my pursuit of your cousin Fred. Wish me luck."

Rose snorted. "If you succeed, you'll certainly need it."

The girls returned to the table soon after, which had been mostly vacated save for Albus, Scorpius, and Roxanne Weasley. With a quick goodbye, Maeve and Mary left to find their families at Gringotts. Roxanne left soon after to meet with Lily and Lucy at Madame Primpernelle's (Rose thought them all a bit young to be interested in makeup but said nothing), leaving the trio alone to enjoy one another's company and the beautiful weather.

"So Greg heard someone in Ollivander's last week say that Professor Sinistra is leaving Hogwarts, and that the famous Astronomer Richard Shafiq will be taking over her post while Professor Rosier becomes the new Head of Slytherin. What do you two think?"

Al snickered. "About which part – that an old Professor who taught our parents over twenty years ago is finally retiring, or that you just called Gregory Ollivander 'Greg'? Because I'm more interested in the latter, actually."

Rose lowered her gaze to the table and saw Scorpius do the same from the corner of her eye. She felt that she was blushing furiously, and took a large bite of ice cream in an attempt to cool her cheeks. "It's not **that** unusual, you know," she muttered through a full mouth. "His name is rather long, a nickname makes perfect sense."

Albus stared at her in silence for a few moments, contemplating. Eventually she looked up, and saw that his green eyes held the same expression as if he were reading a book. "Rose, you **like** him. I know you do. And you know he feels the same, don't pretend you haven't noticed – if **I've** recognized his signals, you know at least half the wizarding world must be aware by now. So why are you fighting this?"

Rose's eyes flitted to Scorpius for a moment and saw his pale blonde head bent over the table, his shoulders curiously tense, before returning to her cousin. "Because he doesn't like Dickens." At this, Malfoy smiled.

The young Potter was caught off guard; clearly this was not the answer he was expecting. He became hopelessly confused, glancing back and forth between his two friends quickly, eyebrows quirked. His expression caused Rose and Scorpius to laugh outright. "But – what? Dickens?" he stammered, and their amusement increased.

"Al, is this what you always look like when you don't understand something?" asked Scorpius between bouts of laughter. "No wonder you're a Ravenclaw!"

As Rose continued to giggle, enjoying this moment with her two closest friends, she saw Mary Parker once again approach their table. Good, she thought. If seeing Scorpius' face flushed with laughter, with tears of mirth in his eyes and his childishly bright smile on his face wouldn't convince Mary that he wasn't 'cold', Rose was knew that nothing could.

When the girl was a few feet away, however, Rose noticed that something was a bit off. Did the Gryffindor girl always walk this slowly, dragging her about feet like that? And her brown eyes… weren't they normally a bit brighter, more lively?

"Mary?" Rose asked before the girl had quite reached their table. "Are you alright? Did you forget something?"

Her voice seemed dazed, her words strangely detached from the mouth that uttered them: "Someone asked me to give you this." Here the small girl placed a folded bit of parchment on the table.

Rose ignored the letter, turning away from the table to place a hand on the girl's shoulder as she attempted to walk away. "Mary? Are you ill? You don't seem yourself." She stood and looked closely at the girl's eyes. They were blank. Completely blank. There was no spark of life in their brown depths, no light.

From behind her, Rose heard Scorpius call out, "Albus, wait-"

He was cut off by a low cry.

Rose spun around.

Albus was convulsing, the bit of parchment Mary had brought them clamped tightly in his hand. Blood streamed from his open mouth and pooled on the cobbled stones beneath his head as his body jerked uncontrollably. An eerie keening echoed at the back of his throat. Scorpius stood above him, white with shock, unmoving.

For a moment, Rose couldn't breathe.

" **Uncle Harry! Uncle Harry come quickly!"** she was finally able to force herself to yell. She didn't know she was capable of making a sound that loud. She felt it scraping her throat raw as it escaped her, and didn't care.

Patrons of Diagon Alley began to cluster around them, but Rose knew none of their faces. She felt claustrophobic, choked by the sudden closeness of these strangers when she desperately needed someone she trusted to help her cousin. **"Uncle Harry!"**

She finally saw a familiar head of messy black hair come sprinting through the crowd, which parted for him. With a desperate slash of Harry Potter's wand, the piece of parchment was pulled by an invisible hand from Albus' clenched fist and onto the ground. The moment Harry reached his youngest son, he grabbed him close and turned, and the two vanished with a loud pop.

Aunt Ginny, who had been only a step behind her husband, tried to pull her niece away from the table with their purchases from Diagon Alley and melting ice creams. But Rose fought her long enough to read the single line of writing on the abandoned parchment, before it could be obscured by the pool of scarlet that was slowly spreading across the cobblestones.

 _Your father's actions will be paid for in your blood_


	20. Chapter 20

Hello all! Once again, thank you for all of your reviews, favorites, follows and PMs, they're greatly appreciated and highly encouraged!

Just a reminder, I do not own _Harry Potter_

If you have any questions, post them and I'll answer in the next update!

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 20**

 **Fourth Year, Part Two**

 _"Is it_ _ **him**_ _?"_

 _"No, if it was my scar would hurt."_

 _"Harry, we don't know that for certain, you aren't a Horcrux anymore."_

 _"Hermione, I know I would feel it if he were back. Besides, this wasn't his style."_

 _"But Katie Bell-"_

 _"That was Malfoy. Voldemort would have made sure the job was done."_

 _"It has to be another Death Eater, then. Someone who slipped through our nets after the War."_

 _"But Gin, who's left? All of them are dead, in Azkaban, or too afraid to do so much as sneeze."_

 _"Well clearly one of them has come out of hiding, Ron, he was bold enough to attack my son in the middle of Diagon Alley."_

 _"Let's think logically, maybe this was a mistake. Is there any chance the curse was an – an accident, a residue of Dark magic like the hairbrush that killed Astoria?"_

 _"The Healers at St. Mungo's didn't think so. And from what Rose told Ginny, it sounded like this Mary was under the Imperius Curse. I can't see how an Unforgivable could be accidental."_

 _"What happens when whoever did this figures out they didn't kill him, then? Is it safe to send Albus to Hogwarts this year? Or my Rosie and the others, for that matter?"_

 _"I am_ _ **not**_ _sending my son back to school until we find who did this."_

 _"Gin, I'm worried too, but don't you think that's a bit hypocritical? You told Mum to sod off when she tried to pull that with you, do you really think Albus won't do the same?"_

 _"He's only fourteen, Ron!"_

 _"So were you!"_

 _"Professor Goshawk is a talented witch, but she isn't Dumbledore. She won't be able to keep this – this_ _ **monster**_ _out of the castle, and your nephew will wind up dead. Is that what you want?"_

 _"Ginny, you know Ron doesn't want that. He loves Albus as much as you and I love Rose and Hugo. I'm just as worried about our son as you are, but I think with increased enchantments around the castle and restrictions on travel into Hogsmeade, Hogwarts would be the safest place for Al right now. He'll be surrounded the most talented witches and wizards of the age, and as Head Auror I'll only be an Apparition away if anything goes wrong."_

 _"I know you're humble, Harry, but aren't_ _ **we**_ _the most talented witches and wizards of the age? Most of those pansies teaching at Hogwarts now wouldn't have been caught dead at our final battle with You-Know-Who."_

 _"But Neville was there, and Hannah, and Padma, and Hagrid, and so was Cho and she's very skilled in-"_

 _"The only thing she's ever been skilled in is flirting with you."_

Rose tried to tune out the adults' hushed conversation coming from the next room. She stared down at the mug of tea in her hands, letting its warmth seep into her cold fingers. The wooden kitchen chair beneath her felt rigid, causing her muscles to remain tense. Not that she would have been able to relax if she'd tried. Albus' prone form remained etched in her mind's eye, almost as if he were still there in front of her, blood pouring from his open mouth as he seized against the cobblestones. He was upstairs now, resting. Uncle Harry had brought him home from St. Mungo's twenty minutes ago; he'd been sedated by sleeping draughts and pain-relieving potions, his black hair contrasting startlingly with his ashen face as he lay in his father's arms. Since then, her family had been discussing the situation in the next room over. She wanted to feel indignant that she was being talked about as if they weren't speaking loudly enough for her to hear, that her and her cousin's fate for the coming school year was being decided without her input, but she couldn't muster the energy. Besides, what did she know about fighting Dark witches and wizards? That had been her parents' job. It was Uncle Harry's, still. She'd never had to worry about learning defensive spells to protect herself from Voldemort or Death Eaters. Those days were over, or so they'd thought. It seemed that twenty-two years was the only break they were going to get before the cycle started again. After all, if there was one Death Eater still out there zealous enough to attack Albus in broad daylight, in the heart of wizarding Britain, who was to say there wouldn't be a second or third to aid them? When this story was published in the Daily Prophet tomorrow, as she knew it must, would it only serve to inspire more pureblood bigots to lash out against her family? Who would they go for next? Albus, again? Or were the lives of her other relatives at risk as well? Would she be forced to see James lying incapacitated by a curse next, jerking uncontrollably as it raced through his body to kill him? Lily? Her own brother? Or what about her other cousins, for that matter? Her active imagination, ordinarily a blessing that allowed her to empathize with others and approach problems from a different angle, now became a curse. At the image of tiny Lucy trembling on the ground in a pool of scarlet, eyes rolling back into her head, Rose's body was incapacitated by choking sobs that felt as if they would rip her chest apart. She tried to smother them and largely succeeded in suppressing their sound, though they continued to wrack her slight frame and it was all she could do to remove the mug of tea from her shaking hands and place her head on the table in front of her. Her arms hugged her middle as if she were trying to keep herself in one piece, and she felt her tears wetting the table and her bushy red hair but couldn't bring herself to care.

She felt a tentative hand on her hunched shoulder. Scorpius. Rose had almost forgotten that her friend was still here with her. They had both been silent since they had all returned to the Potters' hours ago, too shocked and upset by what they had witnessed to say a comforting word to one another. Lily and James had eventually gone upstairs, needing quiet time in the sanctuary of their own bedrooms to process what had happened to their brother, though thankfully neither had been close enough to witness it actually happen. Rose, as she shared a room with Lily during her stays with her aunt and uncle, had remained downstairs to allow her the space she needed. She also couldn't bear the thought of leaving the main part of the house, isolated from the voices of her family, as much as she tried to ignore their words. It was harder to keep the image of Albus from her mind when she was alone. For a while the pair sat like that, Rose eventually subduing her tears, head quietly resting on the kitchen table, Scorpius tentatively stroking her back. Both knew there was nothing to be said that would make the situation better, though each found their physical contact soothing.

The voices of the adults in the sitting room cut off. Four sets of footsteps went in opposite directions. Rose heard the clicking of her mother's trademark heels on the linoleum, accompanied by her father's heavy tread. She raised her head from the table, and Scorpius removed his hand from her shoulder. Rose's gaze fixed on her father's tall form and bright red hair in the doorframe. "Daddy," she whimpered as fresh tears escaped from her eyes. Ron crossed the kitchen to sit at the table beside her, and she buried her face in the front of his jumper as he put his arms around her. Rose heard her mother murmur to Scorpius that she would take him to Malfoy Manor if he wished, though if he wanted to stay he was welcome to return home with her and bunk with Hugo. She couldn't make out his answer, but the two left the kitchen thereafter, leaving her alone with her father.

"Why aren't I strong enough, Daddy?" she asked him quietly.

He seemed to be taken aback. "What do you mean, sweetheart?" he questioned, matching her volume. It was comforting, feeling his familiar deep voice echo through his chest as he spoke to her.

"By the time you were my age, you had seen things worse than this, hadn't you? You and Mum and Uncle Harry dealt with the constant fear of being attacked, and when you faced werewolves and three-headed dogs and Voldemort you fought and you won. All I could do today was stand there, frozen, watching Albus die in front of me."

"Rosie, you were so brave today, sweetheart," he whispered. "You did exactly what you were supposed to do, yelling for your Uncle Harry. It took a team of Healers to help Albus – there was nothing more you could have done."

"But Dad, I saw that Mary wasn't herself, I knew there was something wrong before Albus touched that parchment, but it all happened so fast… and when I close my eyes I can't stop seeing his face, twisted in pain and covered in blood."

"Merlin, Rosie, we fought the War so you would never have to experience this. Death Eaters and trolls, and Bat Bogeys, are one thing, but seeing a person you love like that is far scarier. When I heard your Mum being tortured in Malfoy Manor… I lost my head, trying to get to her. And I still dream about your Uncle Fred and the others who were taken from us, we all do. What I'm trying to say, sweetheart, is that your reaction is natural, and it doesn't make you any less of a witch, or a person."

"But what happens next time?" she asked. "You said it yourself earlier, Dad, what happens when whoever did this figures out Albus is still alive? What if I'm still not strong enough not to just stand there when they come after Lily, or James, or Hugo… or me?"

Her father squeezed her tighter. "You know I would never let anyone hurt you."

She pushed away from him gently so that she could look him in the eye. "Dad, that's not a promise you can make, and you know it. I'm sure Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry must have said the same thing to Albus at some point or other, but they weren't able to protect him from that curse today."

Ron sighed. "You're growing up, Rosie. I'd hoped it wouldn't have to happen like this, not for you. I thought the world was different now. Look, I promise that Uncle Harry and the other Aurors will do everything they can to track down whoever did this, and in the meantime extra protections are being placed around Hogwarts. I think we've finally convinced your Aunt Ginny that you all will be just as safe there as you would be here, though if you'd rather stay home for the year-"

"No, I want to go back."

He smiled and ruffled her hair, a gesture she normally hated but now felt strangely comforted by. "That's my girl. Shall we go home, then? Your Mum has already gotten your things from Lily's room, we thought it best if we all gave the Potters some time alone.

She nodded, and the two headed to the parlor, from which they exited the house in a blaze of emerald fire.

* * *

Rose went down to breakfast the next morning and found Scorpius and her parents sitting around the table in tense silence. It seemed no one had quite come to terms with what had happened yesterday. Of course, it could just as well have been the fact that Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, son of her father's worst enemy aside from Voldemort himself, was at their breakfast table; she wished she were old enough to have studied Occlumency to see into her father's mind – it would be nice to be able to brace for any angry explosions before they took place. Her friend looked up gratefully from the eggs he'd been poking at when she entered, and her mother smiled stiffly at her from around the side of the Daily Prophet she was reading. She noticed that her mother took great care to ensure that her paper was folded in such a way that obscured any view of the front page, and had little doubt as to why. "Hello, sweetie. Did my Sleeping Draught help you get some rest last night?"

The girl nodded and took a seat between Scorpius and her father, allowing her mother to serve her eggs and toast though she wasn't the least bit hungry. She never thought she'd see the day when Scorpius would be allowed to sit in her kitchen, with her father there no less. And as they all continued to silently eat their toast, Rose started to believe this miraculous occurrence would happen without the tenuous balance being disrupted.

Of course, that was when Hugo showed up. Rose had to admit she was concerned by her younger brother's appearance as he came to sit across from her; his face was pale and languid, and dark circles stretched under his eyes. It was obvious that he hadn't slept last night. "Oh sweetheart," Hermione fussed as she passed him the jam. "If I'd have known you would get nightmares I would have given you a Sleeping Draught too."

Hugo looked momentarily startled. "What? No."

"But you need sleep-"

"I wasn't dreaming," Hugo snorted. "I was awake because that one," he pointed to Scorpius, "snores something awful. Bloody hell, I don't know how Albus can stand it, or the rest of Ravenclaw for that matter. Rose, doesn't your whole tower shake with the noise?"

Scorpius was mortified, his cheeks turning the brightest shade of pink Rose had ever seen them. "What? No, I – I don't snore…"

Ron tried desperately to contain his laughter but didn't succeed.

Hermione let out an exasperated sigh. " **Really** Ronald, control yourself. This is a trying time for all of us, and Scorpius is our guest."

"Oh come on, 'Mione, you have to admit it's funny!"

Just as Hermione opened her mouth to retort, Scorpius, of all people, cut her off. "No Mrs. Weasley, it's fine, really. I don't mind. I probably would have laughed too."

Ron grew quiet at this unexpected support, though he stabbed at his eggs with a bit more fervor than normal for the rest of the meal. Rose thought it likely he didn't appreciate being defended by his least favorite person in the room, though she rather hoped the move would help her friend in the long run.

* * *

She caught up to Hugo after breakfast, following him into his room. "Does Scorpius really snore?"

"No, of course not," her brother replied. "Look, I couldn't have Mum babying me like that. Besides, I hate Sleeping Draughts, they always make me feel as if I'm swelling up like in Uncle Harry's story about his Aunt Marge."

"Hugo, if you want to talk about yesterday… I'm here."

He rolled his eyes. "Blimey, is everyone in this family daft? I'll be fine. I was up reading a book last night, not having nightmares."

Rose quirked an eyebrow. "You? Reading?"

"Don't get too many ideas Miss Smarty Pants, it was a history of the Chudley Cannons, not a text book."

Now it was Rose's turn to roll her eyes. "To think I was just about to tell you how proud I was." As she made to step out the door, however, she took one final look at Hugo. Of course she didn't believe this rubbish about reading – she knew her brother too well for that. But was there anything she could do to comfort him? Rose opened her mouth to speak… and found herself reaching for the same cliché her father had given her last night. She thought she understood what he'd meant now. She would never be able to forget what she had seen yesterday, what her cousin had gone through. But Hugo hadn't been there. All he knew about the incident had come second-hand, and though he always gave her a hard time in the end he trusted her judgment in most things… would it be bad to use her position here to help him?

"You know I would never let anyone hurt you, Hugo. Neither would Mum or Dad. Everything will turn out alright."

And though Hugo brushed her off, she could see that he was relieved by her words. Her dad was right, she thought. She was growing up.


	21. Chapter 21

Hello all! I was going to make you wait a bit longer for this one in attempt to space things out as the semester starts - sadly I won't have lots of time to write for the near future. But one of my all-time favorite fics was just updated today, and it's put me in a giving mood, so enjoy!

In the future, though, updates will be more spaced out. Sorry. I promise not to drop off the face of the Earth for a few months like last time, and I have a few more chapters written already, but I simply won't be able to keep up with the once a week schedule. I hope you won't be quite as upset, though, when I tell you about the **new** short spinoff fic (more like a series of related one-shots) I'll be publishing soon! I can't tell you who it features, because I want to get a little farther in the storyline or it may spoil things to come, but I can tell you that: 1) it will called "The Thorn in My Side" ; 2) it will be in the same universe as this fic, although it will focus on a different character (don't worry, Rose will still be there in the sidelines) ; 3) It will be short, probably just a chapter for each year, but it will feature some brand new material as well as some scenes that were hinted at in Thorns Have Roses but weren't directly written about.

So, let me know what you think in the reviews, about this chapter as well as the fic that is soon-to-come! You're more than welcome to speculate on who/what it will contain, though I won't confirm anything :) Enjoy lovelies

Disclaimer: No, I have not been transfigured into J.K. Rowling since the last time we talked about this - it would be fabulous if I had been, though, because then I could actually pay for medical school myself.

* * *

 **Chapter 21**

 **Fourth Year, Part Three**

For all that had happened before the start of term, the first few months of the Golden Trio's fourth year at Hogwarts went by the same as any other, academically speaking. Classes, interspersed with homework sessions, Quidditch practices, and trips to Hagrid's hut largely consumed their lives. There were a few key differences this year, however, the most obvious of which was that the Weasley students at Hogwarts never left Albus alone. Though all had agreed that Hogwarts would be the safest place for him while Harry and the others continued to track down whomever was responsible for the attack in Diagon Alley, it seemed that they had made some sort of secret pact to act as Albus's bodyguards, just in case. Lily and Hugo accompanied the Trio to Hagrid's every Friday, Fred and Louis traded off walking him to all his classes, Molly developed a sudden dedication to her studies and joined the three whenever they went to the library with her boyfriend Alexander Inglebee in tow, Lucy and Roxanne got in the habit of sitting at the Ravenclaw table for meals, and Dominique even followed them up to Ravenclaw Tower every night and sat with them until they went to sleep (for once, Rose was annoyed that their House common room was locked with riddles rather than passwords, as that meant her family members had unrestricted access to their living quarters – Dom hadn't been stumped by one of the eagle doorknocker's questions yet, bugger her). James even sat in on Ravenclaw's Quidditch practices, which their Captain Isabella Spinnet tolerated on the condition that he wouldn't leak any information about their tactics to the Gryffindor team. The shifts changed occasionally, even sometimes resulting in complete family reunions at the most inopportune moments, but the sentiment was always the same: Albus was in danger and needed constant protection. Though Rose grew quickly aggravated by their tactics, and their nonchalance when confronted about it, she appreciated what her relatives were trying to do and didn't argue too much. Scorpius just laughed it off. "Honestly, I can't see it doing much good, but if it makes them all feel better then why not? Dominique even asked me if I could tutor you, Albus and the younger ones in Defense Against the Dark Arts in case anything happens. I was just happy she finally stopped calling me 'Malfoy'."

Rose scoffed. "Just because you're top of the class doesn't mean Albus and I are **that** far behind you, at least in an academic sense. You can't teach talent." She briefly reconsidered, hand fingering the bottles of various curse and poison antidotes she'd brewed and taken to carrying in her robes at all times. "Lucy and Hugo could probably benefit from it, though."

"But not Roxanne and Lily?"

At this Rose burst into laughter. "Clearly you haven't spent enough time around my family, Scor. Try telling either one of them they need to get better at defending themselves and you'll never be safe again – they'd take turns hexing you in the halls until we graduate."

While Albus seemed to appreciate his family's efforts initially, and quietly tolerated them even after the constant supervision had become incredibly annoying, by the end of November it seemed he'd finally had enough. When James tried to follow him into the showers after an evening Quidditch practice, a week before their game against Hufflepuff, Albus lost it. "James, how is this helping? Do you really think there's some bloke hiding in the **showers**? Didn't our parents agree Hogwarts was safe enough without you lot stalking me everywhere? Besides, the note said 'your father's actions' – you could be just as much of a target!"

James smirked. "Well fortunately, I'm a year older than you are and better at taking care of myself."

"But what about Lily? She's two years younger than me, why aren't you following her day and night around the castle like some love-sick owl?"

"Because she's not the one who almost died!"

"James," Albus said, reaching for his older brother's shoulder. "I'm fine. I'll **be** fine. Between the added enchantments Dad put up, and Headmaster Goshawk and the other professors –"

"Al, you can complain as much as you'd like, as your brother I'm used to fighting with you, but we're not backing down on this until whoever cursed you is caught."

"Bloody hell, what makes you Gryffindors think you'll be able to single-handedly stop whatever Dark Wizard shows up? Rose and Scorpius were there last time, fat lot of good that did."

Rose felt her stomach drop, though she knew Albus didn't mean it that way.

After a few more insults from both sides, the argument ended, and though Albus was finally permitted to go into the showers alone, James made it clear that he'd be waiting for them at the edge of the Quidditch pitch. "I'm going to send Pear with a letter to Uncle George as soon as we get back to the castle," Albus growled. "My prattish brother is about to get a taste of all the Skiving Snackbox sweets that Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes has to offer."

* * *

During Potions that Friday, Rose decided to take out her frustrations by preparing twice the necessary amount of the Antidote to Uncommon Poisons – with Professor Rosier's permission, of course. After over three years of lessons with the Weasley girl, he knew she could more than hold her own when it came to brewing, and he'd grown used to her experimenting with recipes to make them more effective or easier to brew. In true Ravenclaw fashion, Rose often dealt with stress by channeling it into her classwork – over the past few years Potions had become her outlet for the week's anxieties, a challenging puzzle that kept her hands busy and mind occupied.

"We can increase the simmering temperature so that it won't take too much longer, but that means I'll need to double the amount of Billywig stings so they don't burn off…" she muttered to herself as she furiously chopped Chizpurfle carapaces.

"Is everythin' alrigh', Rose?" Charlie McLeod asked, hesitantly looking over her shoulder. Her Hufflepuff friend had become her Potions partner this year, as he often needed help in the subject and Albus and Scorpius were competent enough to take care of themselves.

"Fine," she said tersely, not daring to look up from her knife. "Everything is blooming brilliant."

"Rose I don't know wha's wrong, but this isn' like you."

"I said I'm **fine** ," she snapped. "Sure, Uncle Harry sent us an owl this morning saying he's been unable to trace the wand signature on the cursed parchment which hurt Albus and they have no new leads, and sure, my family is being more ridiculous than usual, oh and of course Gregory Ollivander won't leave me alone, but I'm perkier than a Pepperup Potion, can't you tell?"

"Rose…"

The redhead heaved an exasperated sigh and looked up from the bench to make eye contact. "Charlie, I'm sorry, I know I'm not being very fair to you, going off like this." She continued to chop the ingredients furiously. "I just need to distract myself with this Potion for a while and then I'll be – MERLIN!" she cut herself off as the knife slipped, creating a deep gash in her palm. Charlie blanched and shouted "ROSE!" before scrambling to get the professor, overturning a stool in his haste to reach the front of the room. Albus and Scorpius rushed over to her from their bench, the former placing a hand comfortingly on her shoulder while the latter caught at her arm and tried to stem the flow of blood. The crimson liquid rushed furiously from Rose's wound, turning the crushed carapaces on the bench top into a thick paste. "Brilliant," she hissed between clenched teeth. "Now I'll have to start over with those."

"Rose," Scorpius admonished in a concerned tone, "you need to take better care-"

The dungeon door burst open with a loud crash. Louis rushed into the room, wand aloft, face set in a determined grimace that would have been comical if his appearance hadn't been so unexpected.

"Louis?" Albus cried. "What in the name of Merlin's saggy left-"

"Language, Mr. Potter," Professor Rosier chided as he strode to stand in front of the Trio. "Miss Weasley, please hold out your hand." Once the redhead had complied, he fixed the cut with a quick nonverbal healing spell.

"Louis, what are you doing here? Have you been waiting in the hall this entire time?" asked Albus.

The rest of the class stood still, enthralled with the drama that was unfolding in front of them.

Louis shrugged, unabashed. "I had a free period. Heard the commotion and thought there'd been another attack."

The other students buzzed at the word "attack," causing nervous twitters across the classroom.

"Mr. Weasley, you would do well to remember that we are all perfectly safe here at Hogwarts," said Professor Rosier as he straightened and returned to his desk at the front of the room. "It wouldn't do to go spreading such wild stories that have the potential to cause panic amongst the student body. As it is, I will have to take ten points from Gryffindor for causing such an unseemly commotion in my classroom. Now please, remove yourself from the dungeons before I feel the need to dock you further."

Louis knew better than to protest with the Professor, who hated Gryffindors almost as much as his predecessor, so he quickly left the dungeon without protest.

"And Miss Weasley?" Professor Rosier called as the students resumed their work. His face bent into a small smile, a rare display of affection that he reserved for the very few students he genuinely liked. "In the future, do try to be more careful. I'd say a single batch would more than suffice for today's lesson."

"Yes Professor," Rose said diffidently, with a slight nod before returning her gaze to her cauldron.

Before Albus and Scorpius returned to their bench, however, Rose heard her cousin whisper, "That's it. I'm starting to feel claustrophobic with all these Weasleys about, I can't take this much longer. We're going to visit Hagrid earlier than usual today, while Louis has lost our scent. Rose, send Circe to Hagrid after class, I'm fairly certain our family has been tracking Pear – Uncle George never replied to me about those Skiving Snackboxes. Tell him we'll be by to visit within a half hour, and not to tell Lily or Hugo."

Rose began to feel nauseous when she thought of leaving Albus's self-proclaimed bodyguards. Not one to act on emotion alone (she was a Ravenclaw, after all), she tried to trace the feeling to a logic-based origin. Was she worried that her family would grow increasingly worried when no one could find them? No, Hagrid's would be an obvious place for them to look – the Trio couldn't remain hidden there for long, though she didn't think that was really Al's intention anyway. He just needed some space for a few hours. Was she concerned that something would happen when the three of them were alone without any other family members present? This felt closer to the truth, though there was no rational reason for it. After all, they wouldn't be alone – they would be with Hagrid, and the only peril they were likely to face in his hut would be from chipping a tooth on one of his rock cakes or getting knocked to the ground by Saber as he jumped to smother them in canine kisses. She turned the question over in her head for a few more moments. Albus clearly needed some space from their overbearing family, and they would be perfectly safe with Hagrid. As to her apprehension, she remained silent, pushing all uneasiness to the corner of her mind. Instead, she heard herself saying: "Al, you know Hagrid won't mind if we drop in early. I don't want to go all the way to the Owlery and chance being caught."

Her cousin nodded, and that was the end of the matter. Albus and Scorpius went to their own bench, and all proceeded with their potions.

At the end of the period, Rose snuck a vial of the antidote she'd brewed into her pocket, where it clinked against the others. It never hurt to be prepared.


	22. Chapter 22

Hello all! So I really had fun with this chapter - you'll see why shortly - and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.

So, that short spinoff fic I hinted would be coming in the near future? The Thorn in My Side? After I publish the next chapter of Thorns Have Roses, I'll publish the first chapter of that as well. I already have several written, but I don't want to give too much away until I develop certain things here a bit more first… but that's all I'll say on the matter.

Just as a reminder, I do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters - if I did, Hermione would NOT have ended up with Ron Weasley...

* * *

 **Chapter 22**

 **Fourth Year, Part Four**

Of course, nothing happened when they went to Hagrid's, outside of their usual cheerful conversations with the half-giant concerning classes, other students, and their families as they sat around his large wooden table. Scorpius was pleased to report that his father had been doing quite well recently, had continued to expand his library of unique alchemical manuscripts while selling off his collection of Dark artifacts, and had been planning a family trip to France during the winter holidays. His grandmother and grandfather had been invited to accompany them, though both had declined the offer (graciously in Narcissa's case, but not nearly as much so in that of her husband). Neither Rose nor Albus had heard of this plan before, and the two shared a quizzical glance as Hagrid discussed the family's plans in detail with Malfoy; though both were disappointed that they wouldn't see Scorpius over the winter holidays, they were glad to see that their friend's relationship with his father had grown immensely over the past year and a half. Besides, Rose and her immediate family had planned a vacation for a portion of the holidays as well, and though she was uncertain as to whether it would still happen due to the events in Diagon Alley just a few months ago, she certainly understood the need to get away from the UK for a while. "France is beau'iful this time o' year," the half-giant said. "The Scamanders jus' wrote an article in this mornin's Prophet abou' the matin' season of dahus, which should las' until February or so… bea'iful creatures, they are, but hard to spot, an' they only live in the French Alps..."

Scorpius smiled at the gamekeeper. "I'll take pictures if I see one, Hagrid, although I don't anticipate going too far into the mountains, on this trip at least. We should be staying fairly close to Burgundy."

"Do you still have that copy of the Daily Prophet, Hagrid?" Albus chimed in. His enthusiasm for their Care of Magical Creatures class had not waivered in the past year, although it wasn't his best subject and he wasn't top of the class. "I'd like to read it, if you do. I stopped getting the paper after this summer – far too many articles on me for my liking."

Hagrid made an uncomfortable face before quickly turning his back to the trio to attend to the copper kettle hanging in the fireplace. "I'd have to look," he said in a falsely bright tone. "Things are a bi' more cluttered here than usual, wha' with tryin' ter get ready ter breed a new litter of Blast-Ended Skrewts next spring. Ye'll be in fer a treat when they hatch! If I fin' it I'll send yer a clippin'."

Though Rose would never have dared to call the hut clean by any measure, she could spot no discernable difference in its tidiness as compared to their last visit, or the one before. "Hagrid, they aren't **still** writing about Albus, are they?"

The half-giant turned and opened his mouth to protest, but Scoprius cut him off. "Is this it?" he asked, standing quickly to pull out a wrinkled newspaper from beneath the large bed in the corner with its homemade checkered quilt, looking as if had been hastily stuffed there. The boy quickly scanned through the first few lines of the front-page story as he leaned against the cupboards, then whistled through his teeth. "I can see why you didn't want us to know about this, Hagrid. Must have been a slow news day."

Hagrid sighed. "Rita Skeeter has always been rather popular, I'm afraid, even tho' wha' she says is usu'lly horrible rubbish."

"That vile woman wrote about Al?" Rose asked.

"It's not just Al," Scorpius replied. "Here, I'll read it out loud."

He waited for Albus to nod in consent before he began:

 _Drama and intrigue are once again brewing at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (more so than potions, it seems, as NEWT scores at this once prestigious institution have dropped abysmally over the past several years – is Potions Master Rosier, with unsavory family connections and dubious at best qualifications, to blame?) After Albus Potter, age twelve, was involved in a tragic encounter with Dark magic in Diagon Alley earlier this year that has no doubt left him mentally unstable, caustic rumors have begun erupting left and right that concern none other than the children of our brave heroes who once went by the name of 'Dumbledore's Army' in their heyday (for more information on these 'heroes', read my book "Dumbledore's Army: The Dark Side of the Demob", and its soon-to-be-released sequel, written due to popular demand, "Dumbledore's Army: The Predestined Self-Detonation). Fortunately, loyal readers, I have the inside scoop from those closest to the 'New Golden Trio,' themselves._

 _But who are the other two members of this illustrious troupe, you ask? My sources from inside Hogwarts tell me that young Albus has taken to spending his time with fellow Ravenclaws Rose Weasley, the daughter of Harry Potter's sidekicks Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley, who has somehow inherited the unfavorable hair traits of both her parents… and Scorpius Hermes Malfoy. Don't let their House fool you, readers, these children seem to be anything but wise when it comes to understanding the finer practicalities of wizarding society, namely blood feuds and family expectations. No word yet on how exactly the descendent of two of the most feared and highest ranking Death Eaters under the reign of You-Know-Who and close relative to the notorious Azkaban escapees Bellatrix Lestrange and Sirius Black dodged his inevitable fate as a Slytherin, though many have suggested the use of numerous confounding charms. Indeed, it is well known that Lucius Malfoy himself does not approve of the House or close friends of his only grandchild, even viciously attacking Rose Weasley when she impertinently chose to sit in the family-only section at the funeral of Astoria Malfoy last summer. Though rumor has it that the death was planned between family members –_ and here Scorpius paused his reading, voice wavering, before plowing on bravely – _who_ _had seen a recent decline in their Gringotts account and utilized a Dark artifact from Draco's own prestigious collection in order to obtain the inheritance of the late Greengrass heiress, no proof has surfaced to either confirm nor deny its veracity. Of course, who am I to even suggest such a scandalous notion?_

 _These are troubled times for the Malfoys, indeed. Not only has their only heir Scorpius become closely involved with their long-sworn enemies, the Weasleys, spending extended periods of time at the Burrow and at the home of Harry and Ginevra Potter, my sources also tell me that his relationship with Rose Weasley far exceeds mere friendly camaraderie. It seems this self-asserted Potions prodigy (the jury's out on whether she really deserves the title) has taken after her mother in more than just bookishness and unkempt appearance; just as a young Hermione Granger famously toyed with the affections of both Bulgarian Bonbon Viktor Krum and The Boy Who Lived during the Triwizard Tournament before settling on the underwhelming underdog Ronald Weasley, so too does Rose seem to be instigating her own twisted love triangle within the confines of Ravenclaw Tower. Gregory Ollivander, the other injured party, refused to comment on how he was faring in his battle for the affections of this coquettish girl with frizzy red hair. But of course, no words are necessary to imagine the emotional turmoil this poor boy is being put through. His silence speaks volumes._

 _Not to be outdone, several other Weasley relatives have recently instigated romantic entanglements in the hopes of gaining media attention, and with the most unlikely of parties. Though the longstanding fling between half-werewolf Teddy Lupin and part-Veela Victoire Weasley has been well-documented and comes as a surprise to no one (but will they ultimately fail when Teddy inevitably fails to propose? If they don't, I'll eat my Quick-Quotes Quill), it will astonish many that the incredibly eligible Hogwarts heartthrob James Sirius Potter has become quite "serious" with a previously unknown Muggleborn student, Andrea Sterling. Yes, love is in the air at Hogwarts, with Valentines Day still months away, and the old adage that there is someone for everyone is proving to be shockingly accurate. Molly Weasley, a painfully shy and awkward Hufflepuff due to her repressed upbringing that comes part and parcel with being the daughter of Percy Weasley, is reputed to be going steady with Ravenclaw Quidditch Beater Alexander Inglebee. Little Roxanne, only eleven, seems to have developed a taste for older men, as she has been keeping in very close contact with former Slytherin Seeker Thomas Flint, with whom she shared a House and a love of mischief. And in an even more scandalous twist, Dominique Weasley, little sister to Victoire and desperate to make a name for herself outside her only sibling's high-profile romance and recent (unearned) success in the Department of International Magical Cooperation, has been spotted on several dates with fellow female Gryffindor Mary Parker within the castle as well as nearby Hogsmeade. This intimate connection would certainly explain why Mary has received no form of punishment or reprobation for the role she played in Albus Potter's reputed assault last August. Of course, the lack of administrative action could also point to a much deeper, darker family secret. Has the young Potter, son of the infamous 'Boy Who Lived', gotten over his head in practicing the Dark Arts, a hobby which backfired disastrously in that frightening scene in Diagon Alley? It is highly suspicious that while his father is the Ministry's Head Auror, no progress has been made toward capturing those responsible for his son's nearly fatal encounter. Is this really a sign that Albus Severus Potter is just as flawed as the men for whom he is named? Only time, and a thorough journalistic investigation on my part, will tell._

 _I am sure that there will be more juicy details to report on in the months to follow, but until then, fair readers, farewell._

The room was filled with an uncomfortable silence, Rita Skeeter's last words lingering in the air above their heads, preventing any further conversation. Rose had become increasingly outraged with every line of the so-called jouralist's article to the point where she'd have to choke back the derisive words that threatened to come spilling out, but now that it was finally done she was reduced to stewing in an irritated silence. She felt more than saw her cousin's anger as he sat beside her at the wooden table, as well as Scorpius' melancholy from across the room and Hagrid's extreme discomfort. Luckily, they were all soon saved by a knock at the door.

Hagrid's hut suddenly became very crowded as the entire segment of the Weasley family who currently attended Hogwarts surged in through the unlocked door, without waiting for permission to enter. When they spotted Albus, who had been trying his best to make himself as invisible as was possible without the aid of his brother's Invisibility Cloak, they all began to speak heatedly at once.

" **There** you are!"

"We've been worried sick!"

" **Ow,** James you're standing on my foot…"

"I almost owled Dad, I was so worried!"

"What in Godric's name made you think running off like this was a good idea?!'"

"Couldn't you have least let us know you were alright?"

"ENOUGH." Albus cut them all off with a shout. The red-haired mob fell silent. "I know you all care for me. But I am **tired** of being followed around the castle night and day because of something that happened **months ago** that I am desperately trying to move on from. I appreciated your efforts at first, I really did. I was scared out of my mind, those first few weeks. And if it was any one of you, I know I would have been doing the same exact things to help. But nothing has happened since then, and this isn't helping anyone anymore. Look, if Scopius' offer still stands, I would gladly take him up on his offer of DADA lessons. I think it's something that we **all** can benefit from. But this bodyguard business has got to stop, or from this point forward I'll take every opportunity I can to dodge you lot, and you'd best believe I'll find a better – and more dangerous - hideout than Hagrid's." He gave his family members a pointed glance at this, daring them to contest his statement. "No objections? Great. So it's agreed. The constant shadowing stops, and Scorpius hosts a Defense workshop. If he's willing, of course." The boy in the corner, his silvery-blonde hair making him stand out more than usual in this sea of red and black heads, nodded. He was still clearly upset by the newspaper article they had just read before this rather loud and sudden interruption, and Rose made a mental note to talk to him privately later.

"Right then," said Albus. "It's settled. I'm glad we're on the same page with this. I think we all need to start working together to think about more pressing problems… like Rita Skeeter."

It was clear from their perplexed faces that after all of the confusion regarding Al's whereabouts, none of them had read that morning's Daily Prophet. "Ah. You don't know. Scorp, can you-"

The Malfoy handed his friend the paper without a word, then abandoned his position against the cupboard to stand next to Rose. Without needing to be told, she grabbed his hand and squeezed it comfortingly. If she ever met Rita Skeeter in person… may Merlin have mercy on her soul.

James read the story out loud, often pausing to interject colorful comments in a similar fashion to the way in which he narrated Quidditch matches.

"A Hufflepuff? Really?" Molly huffed once James had finished reading. "Not that there's anything wrong with that," she hastily added as Lucy shot her an uncharacteristic glare.

"I'm glad my hair isn't as bad as yours, Rosie!" Hugo chuckled.

Louis snorted. "Figures. 'Only sibling?' Forgot all about me."

James shot him a look. "Be grateful, mate. Me? And Sterling? I'd rather snog a hippogriff."

Roxanne, no longer able to contain herself, accidentally shot emerald sparks from the tip of her wand that sent Saber into a panic which lasted a good minute before Hagrid could calm him. "How **dare** she insinuate I'm sweet on that **prat**."

Fred turned to grin at Rose, eyeing her and Scorpius' intertwined hands. "Rose? Is there something you want to tell us?"

Dominique sighed, and all eyes turned to her. "Well, it seems Skeeter got one thing right, at least." Everyone continued to stare unbelievingly, except Louis, who suddenly appeared uncomfortable and rather fascinated by his shoelaces. "This relationship with Mary that she invented is complete rubbish, of course, but… she's not as wrong as she would have been if she'd said I was dating, oh I don't know, Gregory Ollivander, or Alastair Hopkins."

"Dom… why didn't you tell us?" Lily asked quietly.

"I didn't see the need until I found a … girl… I wanted to date. Besides, does it really matter?"

"No, of course not," said Albus. "We love you."

"Well, thank you. That means a lot, coming from a flawed twelve year-old wizard that dabbles in the Dark Arts," she teased. "Good to know that all this time, we really just needed to be protecting you from yourself."

* * *

Author's Note: Any "mistakes" made by Rita Skeeter were fully intended on my part (and I suspect on hers as well, though that's harder to parse out).


	23. Chapter 23

Hello all! Sorry it's been so long since I updated, but things have been busy, and I like to write a new chapter before I publish the one before it so that I have one in reserve… but the writer's block is getting really infuriating, and I'm hoping that some feedback on this chapter will help motivate me to finish writing the next one in the next day or so! I hope the length of this one makes up for how long I've made you wait...

I really hope you like this chapter, and as always thank you for the reviews, favorites and follows - please keep them coming!

* * *

 **Chapter 23**

 **Fourth Year, Part Five**

Christmas came upon them quickly, and record-setting levels of snowfall along with it. Though Ron and Hermione decided to once again postpone their family's vacation, this time until the summer holidays, Rose didn't mind the change too much. She and Hugo spent quite a bit of time away from Hogwarts with the Potters, as both their parents were working rather hectic schedules. The five cousins quickly adopted a regular routine of playing Wizard's Chess and Gobstones by the fireplace with mugs of tea and hot cocoa, flying their broomsticks in the snow when the winds weren't too strong – which their parents permitted as long as they promised to wear cloaks enchanted with heat spells, sledding down the large hill just behind the pond in the backyard, and holding snowball battles of epic proportions when Teddy Lupin visited and evened their numbers. Harry and Ginny even joined them once, the renowned Head Auror taking time from his busy schedule to team up with Teddy and his sons to defeat Rose, Hugo, Lily and his wife. This schedule was interrupted only by their usual Christmas dinner at the Burrow, which all family members attended and enjoyed (though Rose, Roxanne, and Lily all had to threaten their brothers at various points throughout the evening just to be able to eat and celebrate in relative peace).

Rose wrote Scorpius frequently to keep him up to date with the latest events and family skirmishes (though James and Al had gotten along much better since the family meeting in Hagrid's hut the month before, they still had their brawls from time to time), but she was fearful of sending Circe out when the storms got too bad, as the owl's fluffy white feathers tended to blend in with the swirling masses of snow. In return, she received almost daily photographs of Scorpius's exploits in France with his father. She was glad to see he was enjoying himself so much, though his absence affected her more than she'd expected; Rose often turned to make a witty joke under her breath when James, her brother, or Al did something particularly daft, only to remember that her silver-haired shadow was far away in another country, having marvelous adventures that (for the first time) didn't involve her. It gave her a strange, hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach, though her logical side could find no accurate name for it. She knew it wasn't jealousy, or anger, or sadness… This feeling didn't make any sense to Rose, though, and so she tried her best to push it to the back of her mind each time it arose, when Orion arrived with a new letter or photograph from Scor.

On one such occasion, a few days after Christmas, James startled her from her internal reflection as she sat at the Potters' vacant kitchen table, staring at a magical snapshot of Scorpius and his father wandering through the streets of the famous wizarding town Flavigny-sur-Ozerain.

"Is that from Andrea?" he asked, sitting down next to her.

"Hmm?" she asked distractedly.

He gestured to the photographs and pieces of parchment (covered in Scorpius' familiar yet elegant writing) that were spread out on the table, then to Circe nibbling an owl treat as she perched on the kitchen faucet so that the snow dripping off her wings didn't make as much of a mess as it melted. "Andrea. Sterling. Is that letter from her?"

Rose shook her head as she continued to look at the picture in front of her. "No, I haven't heard much from her since we got back from Hogwarts."

"Have you heard from her at all?"

"What?"

"Rose, please. Have you gotten any letters from Andy over the holidays?"

"No, I-" she looked up suddenly from the photo, finally pulled from her thoughts about Scorpius as an impossible idea occurred to her. "Did you just call her Andy? And what do you mind, whether I've talked to her or not? You don't care for her at all."

"No, I can't stand to be around her. There's a difference. I do care for her."

Rose's brow knitted in confusion. "James, I don't see why you're so concerned that I haven't heard from her. It's only been a few weeks, we've gone longer without talking before. We're close friends, but," she shrugged, "sometimes Andy needs her space, and I know her better than to question it."

James made a face. "You just mean that she isn't Scorpius. Heaven forbid he doesn't send you three letters a day, you'd probably think he was dead."

Rose blinked. This behavior was strange, even for James. Though the eldest Potter wasn't exactly fond of the Malfoys, he had never spoken about Scorpius in this way before – or her, for that matter. She knew him well enough to understand he didn't mean it, but why was he so off?

It seemed her earlier statement had been proven false – clearly James cared for Andy a great deal. She thought back to her conversation with her Gryffindor friend on Platform 9 ¾ a little over a year ago, and sighed in frustration. Rose hated not knowing things, especially when they concerned two people as close to her as Andrea and James.

"You're worried something happened to her, aren't you?" Rose asked. "With her father?"

He squinted his eyes. "I wasn't aware you knew she'd told me about that."

She snorted. "From what I heard, she didn't **tell** you – you were being a prat and stole a letter of hers."

James had the decency to look ashamed at this. "Yes, well…"

"She's strong, James. She can handle herself."

"She's strong, yes. But not unbreakable."

Rose paused, considering her options, before responding. "Wait until New Years. Our families wanted to take us to see the Muggle fireworks in London anyway. If neither of us have heard from Andy by then, I'll try to convince them to let me pay her a visit – she doesn't live too far from there."

"Us," he replied.

"Us?"

"Convince them to let **us** pay her a visit. If you think there is any chance I would let you –"

"James, I've stayed there before. Her parents know me. My dropping in for an unannounced visit would be bad enough. They've never met you, and probably never heard of you outside whatever wizarding news Andy passes on to them."

"I don't care about formalities."

" **Think** , James. How would her father react to your sudden appearance on his doorstep?" She paused. "If Andrea isn't having trouble already, that would just **make** trouble for her."

He sighed. "Okay. Fine. We do it your way. But I'll be waiting just outside the whole time, okay?"

"That's assuming this even proves to be necessary, of course. I'll send Andy a letter now; hopefully she'll respond quickly."

"Good luck with that," James snorted. "I've sent her six messages so far and got no answer."

"Are you sure she would have responded?"

"She always does, eventually, even if it's only to make me shut up."

Rose raised an eyebrow. "Is that your master plan, then? Keep annoying her until she says yes to you, just so you'll stop asking?"

"Rose, I'm not sure what you mean…"

"James, I'm not blind." She smiled slightly. "Looks like Rita Skeeter was right about **two** things."

Her cousin glanced at the letter and photographs on the table before turning to exit the kitchen. "I suspect the number may be even higher, Rosie," he murmured to himself.

* * *

Andy didn't respond to any of Rose's letters, and so the redhead found herself standing with James and her Uncle Harry on New Years Eve in front of the Sterling estate in Weybridge; the latter had been selected to act as their chaperone based on his personal experiences with less than sympathetic Muggle families. The three were buzzed in by a security guard at the end of the lane before being admitted to enter the long drive leading to the house. Though Rose had planned to leave her companions at the large stone wall at the edge of the property, however, the guard who accompanied them to the mansion's front door insisted that all three enter to warm themselves by the fire. She heard James whistle under his teeth as they entered, eying the marble staircase and the various pieces of expensive-looking artwork scattered about the foyer. "I knew her family was wealthy, but I never imagined…" Rose discreetly elbowed him in the stomach, forcing him to remain quiet.

They were escorted to the parlour by a servant who seemed to have fond memories of Rose from her previous visit (indeed, her hair made her hard to forget). He smilingly offered them tea and made small talk by asking about her schoolwork and the wellbeing of her family before telling them the master of the house would be with them shortly.

"Oh, thank you," said Rose, "but I'd very much like to speak with Andrea as well. Is she available?"

The servant leaned closer to her. "I was instructed by Mr. Sterling to tell you she isn't here, but the young Miss Andrea is upstairs. I trust you remember how to get to the planetarium?"

Rose nodded, and the man pulled away. He picked up the tea tray and gave them a slight bow before saying rather loudly, "Well, as I said, my master will be with you two shortly," and exiting.

James looked confused. "Two of us? What did he mean?"

"He's covering for me," Rose responded quickly. "Giving me enough time to go find Andy upstairs. James, as much as it pains to admit this under any circumstances, I think you were right to be concerned."

Rose looked both ways before creeping silently out of the parlour and into the house's large main foyer toward the marble spiral staircase. She continued to climb until she reached the top, then carefully made her way down a long narrow hall. At its end she ascended another spiral staircase, though this one was wooden and much steeper than the last. Peering into the large planetarium and observatory, she saw her friend lying on her back in the middle of its deep red carpet, staring up at the planets and constellations projected on the ceiling with amazing detail, her black cat Smudge curled up on a cushion next to her. She was struck by how small Andy looked, her large personality and imposing stature seemingly stripped away by the large scale of the room filled with columns and floor-to-ceiling windows as well as by the image of the sky above them. "I'm surprised you aren't using the telescope – I've heard the view of Venus is supposed to be beautiful this week."

Andy jumped at the sound of her friend's voice, but relaxed noticeably once she spied its source. "Too cloudy," she replied quietly, her voice slightly slurred and oddly emotionless. "I've tried every night, but whenever I'm up here it's simply been too cloudy to see anything. Rose, what are you doing here?"

Rose ignored the question and sat down next to her friend on the floor. "Then maybe you're in need of a change in perspective. The nights have been beautiful in Ottery St. Catchpole. I sent you photographs."

"I got them."

"Why didn't you reply?"

"Even if Father hadn't forbidden me to contact anyone, because of how I left during the holidays last year, it would be rather hard for me to write at the moment," she said, using her left arm to gesture to bandages on her right wrist that Rose hadn't noticed.

"Andy, what happened?" she asked, struggling to keep her voice calm.

"He went after Mum. I intervened, but I couldn't get away quite fast enough. Got smashed between him and the edge of the mantle." She added hastily, the slurring more pronounced, "It was an accident – I'm too strong of a fighter, he could never land a hit if he was really trying to."

Rose couldn't tell if she was lying or not. "Oh Andy-"

"It's fine. I can't feel it right now."

It was then that Rose noticed the slight scent of liquor on her friend's breath, her flushed cheeks, the way her words all ran together. "Andy, have you been drinking?"

The brunette nodded. "Not a lot. Just enough to numb things a bit."

"You're only fourteen-"

"Fifteen, next week."

"Andrea, this is ridiculous. Why didn't you just go to St. Mungos to get it healed, or brew something for the pain?"

"He insisted I heal 'normally'. And without medicines."

"And you listened?"

Andy sat upright, though it looked as if the effort made her a bit dizzy. "Rose, what choice do I have? They're my family, I can't just leave."

"Like hell you can't," the redhead growled.

"What?" her friend asked, confused.

"Like. Hell. You. Can't." She looked her friend in the eye and held her gaze. "Andy, tell me honestly. Would you be upset if you left this place and never came back?"

The girl considered before shaking her head 'no.' "Before this week I wouldn't have left without Mum, but she's been so **awful** … worse than Dad, almost. And Mike's taken off, probably never coming back."

Rose stood and helped her friend up, careful to only to touch her uninjured side. "Then let's get your trunk, c'mon."

"But Rose, I can't-"

"Yes, you can. We're leaving, and you're coming with us."

"'We'?"

"James and Uncle Harry are downstairs," she responded, to which the other girl blushed furiously. "Now come on, before they notice something is wrong and try to head us off at your room."

The two girls made their way carefully down the stairs, Smudge trailing in their wake. When they reached Andrea's room, he picked up his two toy mice in his mouth before curling up in his open wicker basket, as if he knew what was expected of him. His owner packed quickly, throwing a few odds and ends into the trunk that was already full of books, school robes, and other essential items. Rose thanked Merlin that Andy had thought to enchant it with a Featherweight Charm while they were at school, otherwise it would surely have been much too heavy for her to carry by herself, and Andy's broken wrist would have prevented her from doing much to assist. Instead, the injured witch was able to pull the trunk behind her easily down the hall, though she needed a bit of help when they reached the stairs, leaving Rose to carefully carry the cat in his basket.

Tense voices drifted toward them as they neared the bottom of the staircase. "Please sir, just let me speak to Andy and we'll leave," she heard James say through gritted teeth.

"Young man, I've told you countless times already that whatever message you have for my daughter will be perfectly safe in my hands, and I will ensure it is given to her as soon as she returns for the evening with her friends."

"As I've told you, sir, we can't – it concerns magic, you see, and Muggles such as yourself-"

"What did you call me?"

"He called you a Muggle, sir – a word we use to refer to non-magical folk," interjected Harry, obviously trying to keep the peace.

Mr. Sterling snorted, his tone growing derisive. "'Normal', you mean. Now look here, I don't know what you expected, but I guarantee you that my daughter is **not here** -"

"Da, weren't you going to tell me we had guests?" Andy asked sarcastically as they walked into the parlour. "It sounds as if they are here to see me, after all."

"Andrea, this doesn't concern you. Go back upstairs," he replied, gesturing toward the foyer with the cocktail glass he held in his hand. Once he caught sight of Rose, however, all else seemed to vanish from his mind, and he glared at her with an intense hatred rivaling that of any Death Eater. "So, you decided to go fetch my daughter yourself? Filthy little trespasser-"

He took a step toward Rose, and several things happened at once. Harry and James pulled out their wands. Andy pushed Rose behind her in a protective stance, knocking the redhead back into the trunk so that her knees hit its edge and she fell backward to sit on its domed lid. And Andrea's mother stepped into the parlour from its other entrance, momentarily pausing in shock as she did so. "What on Earth…" she exclaimed.

Andy seemed to wilt a little as Mrs. Sterling entered the room, and Rose realized the girl had been hoping that she'd be able to make her escape without encountering her mother.

Both of the elder Sterlings seemed to notice their daughter's trunk at the same time, as Rose struggled to stand up from it while balancing Smudge's basket and trying not to jostle her friend's bad wrist.

"Do you think you're going somewhere?" her father sneered. "Funny, I don't remember giving you permission to leave."

"With all due respect, _sir_ , she doesn't need it," Rose replied angrily. James and Uncle Harry turned to stare at her; this was a side of her people rarely saw, her family included. Logic be damned, her friend was hurt in more ways than one, and she would be leaving this house with them come hell or high water. Andrea deserved far better than the treatment she'd been receiving at the hands of her family, and Rose was only too happy to help her finally get away from them. Before she continued down this road, however, the Weasley girl turned to lock eyes with Andrea to seek permission, to ensure this was what she wanted. Her friend gave a slight nod in return.

"She's a minor," Mrs. Sterling chimed in, "of course she needs permission. In case you haven't noticed, my daughter is **injured**. I don't know what you think you're doing here, but she needs rest, not this nonsense."

"She won't be a minor in wizarding society for much longer," the redhead claimed wildly. "We come of age at fifteen." Rose dared a glance at her family at this bald-faced lie. Her uncle seemed to understand what she was doing and wisely pretended to agree with her, but for a moment her cousin looked horribly confused; James looked as if he could catch toads in his open mouth, though he shut it quickly and nodded in confirmation along with his father.

"Oh come now, you don't really expect us to believe that, do you?" asked Mr. Sterling condescendingly. "Look here, I'm not sure what stories you've got in your head, exactly, but-"

"Oh, I've got plenty of stories," Rose interrupted. "I'm sure the Muggle authorities would love to hear about how Andy broke her wrist." She sensed rather than saw James' eyes dart to Andrea's arm at this statement. "Or that you let her drink underage. Did you know that they have a device that can measure blood-alcohol content, a breathalyzer? My grandfather has one, he thinks all your Muggle technology is fascinating. And then there's a polygraph, and a psych evaluation … but Mr. Sterling, you're a barrister, I'm sure you know all this. And I'm sure you don't want to get the authorities involved as well. You probably have a reputation to keep, after all, and a good friend of mine once told me that rumors travel quickly between old families."

The man's eyes narrowed. "What exactly are you suggesting?"

Rose nudged her companion in the side. The Ravenclaw girl couldn't be the one to say it – Andrea had to be the one to form the deal, or there would always be the possibility that she would feel Rose had made the decision for her and come to resent her for it later. This was a break that Andy needed to make herself.

"Let me go with them, and I promise not to speak with anyone from your world about any of this," she said in a firm tone.

At this her father laughed outright, sloshing half of the drink from the glass he held onto the expensive white rug beneath him. "What, and you just expect them to take you in? Rather presumptuous, isn't it?"

"I lived with people like you for seventeen years," Harry said, his voice dangerously low. "If Andrea wants to leave, I guarantee you she'll be well looked after."

The rotund man turned to stare at the mantle behind him before speaking again. "Get out of my sight," he growled, and threw what was left of his drink into the grate. The glass shattered against the back of the brick fireplace, and the flames darted up to quickly consume the alcohol it had been fed.

They needed no further invitation. Andy made to grab her trunk with her normal hand, but James came over quickly and removed it from her grasp. Harry ushered them out of the parlour and into the main foyer, and Rose picked up the rear of the train as she carried Smudge in her arms. As they opened the double front door to the cold December wind, however, Mrs. Sterling strode toward them and grabbed her daughter roughly by the right shoulder, jostling her broken wrist. "So now you're leaving me alone with him? What did I ever do to you to deserve this, Andrea? What do you have to say for yourself?"

Andy shrugged out from under her mother's hand. "You're a grown woman, Mother. If you hate him as much as I do, then leave. I love you, but don't expect me to hang about here any longer just so he'll target me instead of you."

And with that, she turned her back on her mother and strode out the door. Rose swiftly followed suit, as did her relatives.

Once they had made it to the end of the drive, Harry found a small copse of trees and Apparated them all back to the Potters'. There, they left Smudge and Andrea's trunk before Apparating back to London in order to catch up with the rest of their family. A few hours later, they celebrated with the rest of the Muggle world, watching fireworks light up the sky around Big Ben in a beautiful display, celebrating a new year full of fresh starts, cheerful memories, and changes for the better.

* * *

 **So, now that you've read Chapter 23, I'll let you in on a secret: the main characters of _The Thorn in My Side_ , the spinoff I've been alluding to for months are...**

 ***drumroll***

 **Andy and James!**

 **The story will specifically focus on Andy and her (complex) relationship with James throughout their years at Hogwarts. Basically, I got a really great idea for a scene with the two of them stuck in my head, and as I started to write it out more ideas just started to take over. Things just fit together really well, and I felt it adds a fun and interesting new perspective on events in THR.** **The new fic will feature scenes alluded to in THR that I didn't actually get to write about the first time around, because Rose only heard about them second hand. Get excited!**

 **That being said, though, it will be shorter. There will probably be one chapter per year, and I already have several written :) the first chapter will be posted in a few days once my (new!) beta has time to look it over, so stay tuned! I'll publish sporadically, once I get caught up to the _Thorns Have Roses_** **timeline - I'd recommend reading in the order I release things once that happens, though both are able to stand on their own and one probably won't be too spoiler-y for the other.**

 **Also, I'm open to ideas of situations and events for Andy and James from fourth year onward - I know exactly where _The Thorn In My Side_ will be going and I have a general idea of character arcs, but how they get there is less set in stone at this point than is THR - suggest** **ideas and if I like them/they work with what I already have planned I'll incorporate them!**


	24. Chapter 24

Hey guys! Sorry, it's been far too long, I know. What can I say? "The hardest thing in this world is to live in it."

As always, reviews, favorites, follows and PMs are all encouraged and very very well loved 3 Your support is like sunshine, and on a rainy day like this I appreciate every bit of it I can get.

Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: In case you've forgotten, I **do not** own _Harry Potter_ or any affiliated characters.

 **Chapter 24**

 **Fourth Year, Part Six**

"Rose? Can…can I ask ya somethin'?"

"Hmm," the redhead mumbled, looking up from her cauldron as it simmered gently during Potions. "Did you say something, Charlie?"

"Woul' you, um… do you have plans? For th' next Hogsmeade trip, I mean. Are ya goin' wit' anyone?"

She glanced at the potion again and added a handful of ground scarab beetles to the mixture, causing it to turn a pale shade of lavender that precisely matched the figure in their text. "Albus and Scorpius, I suppose. Hadn't really thought about it. Why do you ask?"

"Gregory Ollivander hasn' asked ya, then?"

Rose raised an eyebrow at her partner's question. "Funnily enough, he asked me this morning. I try to make it a point not to speak to Gregory when it can be helped, but he's far too dense to take a hint and often impossible to avoid."

"Well, if ya need a reason ta say no… ya coul' always go wit' me…" he half-mumbled.

The redhead added five drops of armadillo bile to the cauldron while she considered his offer. Charlie was sweet, worrying about something so trivial simply because it annoyed her, but she couldn't quite understand what had prompted his rather sudden and strangely self-conscious offer; though she was on good terms with the Hufflepuff boy, their interactions did not usually extend beyond Potions class and the occasional shared compartment on the Hogwarts Express. Was this way of saying he wanted to improve their friendship? She didn't want to turn him down, if so – he certainly wasn't a bad person to have around, had a genuinely pleasant and caring demeanor (rumor had it he had gone with his mother to St. Mungo's every week over the holidays to visit Professor Flitwick, who was now a permanent patient), and most importantly she wasn't related to him. People like that were few and far between, it seemed as of late. "That's sweet of you Charlie. I suppose the boys can manage without me for one trip."

He smiled and nodded in response, and the two handed in their finished potion without incident.

Afterward, she met up with Al and Scorpius outside the dungeons. "What did McLeod want?" the latter asked her as he lightly slipped an arm around her shoulders, while the former navigated the halls beside them as best he could with his head buried in a book.

"He asked me to Hogsmeade this weekend."

"But you said no," Malfoy responded quickly in a sure tone.

"No," she replied.

"Do you mean 'no' you said 'no', or 'no' you said 'yes'?" he asked.

"No, I said yes."

The boy removed the hand he'd just placed on her shoulder, pretending to fish in his bag for an extra quill. "Oh."

"Oh?"

"I just didn't know you fancied him."

She was confused by this statement, and a bit upset as well. "What? I don't **fancy** him!"

Scorpius rolled his eyes in true (and highly uncharacteristic) Malfoy fashion, and unconsciously adopted a haughtier tone. "Honestly, Rose, why else would you want to go on a date with him?"

"Why do you assume that a trip to Hogsmeade has to be a date, Scorpius?"

"I don't," he replied shortly. "I assume that a trip to Hogsmeade on **Valentine's Day** is a date."

"What?" she asked, coming to a dead stop in the middle of the corridor. Scorpius pulled her to the wall to prevent her from being trampled by a surge of students making their way to their next classes. He searched her face curiously as Albus continued on to History of Magic without them, oblivious. "You really didn't know, did you? Rosie, you're usually so good at reading people. And you have a calendar-"

"Yes, but I'm horrible at – at **this**."

His stare seemed to take on a new intensity, though it wasn't of an uncomfortable sort. "This?" he asked.

"Romance. I've never… Scor, what should I do?"

"About Charlie?"

She nodded.

"Whatever you think is best." His blue-grey continue to stare in hers. "Do you fancy him?"

She shook her head.

"But you don't want to hurt him?" he guessed.

"No," she said.

"Do you mean 'no' you do, or 'no' you don't," he teased.

Rose smacked him on the arm. "Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, that's not what I meant and you know it."

He flashed his wide, childlike smile that she loved.

"I'll go with him," she said, and his smile lost a bit of its brightness. "But I'll make it clear that I only care for him as a friend."

As first dates went, going to Hogsmeade on Valentine's Day had to be one of the most awkward Rose could think of. Though the Hufflepuff's gesture had been well intentioned, the atmosphere of Hogsmeade itself did much to make the girl's point for her that they were better suited as friends. She didn't find it necessary to use many of the careful hints or fluid segues she had planned out the night before with help from Dominique and Molly. Instead, Rose had only to laugh with Charlie as she pointed out some of the more ridiculous decorations in Madame Puddifoot's Tea Shop, such as the pink heart-shaped marshmallows that were served in their mugs of hot cocoa, the enchanted floral centerpieces that serenaded the patrons at each table with harp music, and floating miniature cupids that occasionally pelted couples with bits of pink confetti. With a few carefully-placed "friend" comments interspersed between their bouts of laughter over the cheesy "romantic" setting and conversational topics that were decidedly un-date-like, she had secured (and even strengthened) their platonic relationship.

Rose found Albus and Scorpius at a table in the Three Broomsticks after she and Charlie had parted ways, with an empty chair and a full tankard of butterbeer waiting for her. She knew that in a year or two, at least one of them would be interested in dates and the like, and would have other places to be on Valentine's Day. As if to prove her assumption, she spied Molly with her boyfriend in the corner, Fred laughing flirtily with Maeve Macmillan by the door, as well as Dominique with 6th year Slytherin Rebecca McLaggen – Rose was sure to hear many juicy details from her cousins later. But as she sat with Al and Scor recounting the pink and white absurdity of the tea shop, magically flicking bits of butterbeer foam at both of them before accidentally hitting the barmaid in the back with a rather large glob of it, she was glad that they at least had this year together, where the most important people they had to spend their Valentine's Day with were one another.

* * *

Rose paced the left corridor on the seventh floor of Hogwarts three times, waiting for the enchanted entrance to reveal itself as she thought, " _I need the room where Scorpius is, I need the room where Scorpius is, I need the room where Scorpius is."_ On the third pass, an unimposing wooden door appeared in the wall, which she opened and passed through. The Room of Requirement itself had been turned into a training center for her family's lesson in Defense Against the Dark Arts, which she had promised to assist Scorpius in setting up for. Fortunately for them, the Room of Requirement had done most of their job, much as it had when her uncle and parents had run Dumbledore's Army meetings here over twenty years ago. The floor was dotted with throw cushions to practice stunning spells, and target dummies were scattered about the corners. She spotted Scorpius in front of the fireplace, trying unsuccessfully to light a fire in the grate using magic.

"Here," she said, coming up behind him and directing her wand over his shoulder. " _Incendio_." Orange and red flames leapt from her wand, landing precisely on the pile of kindling Malfoy had already assembled. "You can use my wand today if yours isn't working, though it would be best for you to get it looked at soon. Dad snapped his wand in half during second year and accidentally made himself vomit slugs. He was aiming for your father, actually," she added with a grin.

"It's not my wand," he replied, and held up an arm for her inspection. "My hands just won't stop shaking."

"What? Is the great heir to the House of Malfoy actually **nervous**?" she teased.

"Nervous? Because of some insolent, loud-mouthed ruffians?" he asked, tilting up his nose and trying his best to sound like his grandfather. "I'm terrified," he grinned, abandoning the impersonation. "I'd rather deal with a stampeding herd of centaurs than your family, if I manage to upset them somehow."

"Scor, relax. They like you. Just don't do anything rash and you'll survive. They are a bit of a handful, though… I apologize in advance."

As if to make her point for her, James and Fred chose that moment to burst through the door, wands in hand and mischievous smiles plastered on their faces. "'Ello Rose," Fred grinned. "And how are you doing on this fine spring morning?"

She squinted her eyes at the pair. "What did you two do, exactly? Will a Dungbomb be going off soon? Are you planning to slip some sort of magical beastie into my pocket?" She whipped her head around, searching the room for a short head of familiar dark red curls. "Where's Roxanne, is she about to hex me?"

James tried his best to look more serious. "Now Rose, would we ever do something like that?"

The door joining them to the rest of the castle opened again, revealing another grouping of her rather large family. "I've got my eye on both of you," she muttered before bustling off to help direct the newcomers (Lucy, Roxanne, Louis and the Schmander twins) as to how the DADA training session would advance.

Since the Weasley clan was comprised of students all of various skill levels, ranging from third to seventh years, Scorpius had planned on instructing them in various important defensive spells before leaving them to their own devices under his supervision. For Lorcan and Lysander, this meant they would primarily be working on the stunning spell, and so she set the two of them in the front right corner with a practice dummy and large pile of throw pillows, as well as some for Lily and Hugo once they arrived. Albus, Lucy and Roxanne, meanwhile, would be working on counter-curses, as the former had been having trouble since they'd learned them in December, and Lucy and Roxanne had largely mastered all the spells in the third year curriculum; Rose guided the girls to the opposite corner and supplied them with their own stockpile of pillows and dummies. The rest of them would be spread about the rest of the room, practicing whatever they felt would be most beneficial after Scorpius set them loose from the instruction portion. Though Rose hadn't mentioned it to anyone, she was determined to achieve at least a somewhat corporeal Patronus by the end of the lesson. After all, both her uncle and Scorpius had mastered the spell by the age of thirteen, and both her parents had learned to cast it by the time they were fifteen. Defense Against the Dark Arts wasn't her best subject, but neither was it her worst, and she'd always had a bit of a competitive streak when it came to academics. If she didn't master the spell today, she would lose her chance to beat her parents' record…

Rose was distracted from her internal planning by the unexpected appearance of Andrea Sterling, as she entered the room in her usual, quietly imposing way. The Ravenclaw hadn't seen much of her Gryffindor friend after their return to Hogwarts. Their break in communications hadn't been due to a lack of trying on Rose's part, either, though she understood why her friend might need space after the rather sudden events. Though she knew the changes would be good for Andy in the long run, the girl had never been very in touch with her emotions or forthcoming when she was upset, and so Rose could only begin imagine what she was feeling right now. She crossed the room and wrapped her friend in a hug, which the Gryffindor girl returned warmly. "I'm happy to see you Andy, but how did you know this was happening today? I've tried to get ahold of you for weeks, and every time I've come to approach you after class you slip away."

The girl tugged at her short brown hair. "Ah, yes, sorry. Needed some time."

"Of course," Rose said quickly. "I understand. I've just missed you."

"Me too, Rose," Andy said before she continued, "But James told me about today, and of course I couldn't miss your-"

"Defense lesson," cut in James as he suddenly appeared next to Andrea, placing a hand on her shoulder. She jumped at the sudden contact. "You're just crazy about Defense Against the Dark Arts, right Sterling?"

Andy elbowed him lightly in the ribs. "I told you never to sneak up on me like that, you git."

He smirked. "And some day, I'll listen."

"Do it again and you're likely to get a black eye."

He shrugged. "Well, at least it'll match my hair. And heart. Almost everyone is here, we should get settled in."

Andrea waved him off. "I'll be there in a minute."

Rose stared at her cousin as he wandered over to where Fred and Louis were, conversing idly near the fireplace. "When you're ready to talk, I'd really like to hear about what exactly is going on between you and James."

Andy shrugged in response. "I'll let you know as soon as **I** know, Rose."

"Well, whatever it is you're doing… keep doing it. I think it's good for him – you're good for him. I'm sorry I tried to warn you off of him, before."

"Water under the bridge," she answered. "I'm glad you think I can make my own decisions now… though I'm glad to have you here to help with the important ones, too." The Gryffindor girl smiled and reached to squeeze her friend's hand. "Well, I should probably take a place somewhere – wouldn't want to miss any of the action." Rose smiled in return, and watched Andy walk away toward James and the others.

During their conversation, the rest of their family had joined them in the Room of Requirement. Now, as Rose took a spot near the back, hiding herself behind Dominique's tall, athletic figure, Scorpius strode to the front of the small crowd that had assembled, wearing about him an air of confidence that would have been impressive if she hadn't known it was forced. "Hello, everyone. So… it's been a rough year for everyone here, I think. We were made to realize how much some people mean to us," here the assorted Weasleys looked to Albus, "or how much better off we'd be without them," and here Andrea bowed her head. "And some of us finally came to terms with the fact that we will never surpass Rose Weasley in Potions class… or maybe that was just me." His joke earned him a few laughs, and Rose caught his gaze for a moment to smile at him encouragingly. "Albus suggested I hold this lesson, I think, because no matter the circumstance, knowing how to defend yourself and those you love can always make you feel a bit more confident. As witches and wizards, it's important we know that when all else fails, we'll still be able to depend on ourselves – and each other. Fortunately, Professor Chang isn't nearly as bad as Umbridge," Rose and a few others chuckled, "but I think your parents were onto something when they started Dumbledore's Army twenty-five years ago – sometimes it's important that we take our education into our own hands, when so much is at stake. So, today I'll be walking you through things I know – some of the basics, as well as some of the more advanced bits of defensive magic. Once I'm done, use the time as you see fit, and I'll be walking around to help with your form."

"S-scorpius?" a timid voice asked from the back corner. Lucy, looking as small as ever in her Hufflepuff robes, which she still needed to grow into. "Rose had said… Can you really make a Patronus?"

He smiled at her. Rather than answer, he closed his eyes for a moment, smiling faintly. After a moment of concentration, a beautiful silver fox leapt from the tip of his wand. It bounded playfully to Lucy and wound itself around her legs, causing her to giggle, before it made its way to Rose. She soaked in the light and happiness it exuded as it circled her for a moment; she held out a hand to it as one would a dog, and gasped in delight as it passed through her, leaving a warm tingling sensation in its wake. Scorpius directed the fox back to the front of the room before letting the spell die, the fox slowly fading away into the air. "Shall we begin, then?"

After guiding them through some important bits of defensive magic, such as disarming charms and stunning spells, he set them loose to work on a spell of their choice. Rose closed her eyes and directed her thoughts inward as she'd seen Scorpius do earlier, fishing through her happiest memories for one she thought would be strong enough. She pulled out one of playing Quidditch during a match, throwing the Quaffle back and forth with the other Ravenclaw Chasers in perfect synchronization to score a goal. " _Expecto Patronum_ ," she incanted, managing to produce only a faint tendril of silver from her wand. Well, apparently flying didn't mean as much to her as she thought it did.

Next, she tried a memory from Potions class, letting the contentment only brewing could bring her wash through her mind, remembering how it felt to inhale sweet-smelling steam from her cauldron as she added the correct ingredients and stirred in a complexly beautiful pattern. " _Expecto Patronum_." A larger wisp of silver smoke, but still nowhere near corporeal.

She remembered sitting in the shade of the oak tree at the edge of the Black Lake with Al and Scorpius, laughing over a half-remembered joke and watching the giant squid occasionally surface to bask in the warm May sun. " _Expecto Patronum_." The silver mist was more pronounced this time, forming a swirling ball in front of her before the memory faded.

Rose thought about Hugo and her parents, laughing as they passed a meal around the dinner table, watching snow slowly fall through the window; a rare moment of familial bliss, when neither of her parents was working and Hugo wasn't being, well, Hugo. " _Expecto Patronum_." The spell formed a silver shield with a diameter approximately equal to her height, its tendrils wrapping around her body to protect her from the sides. She struggled to hold onto the spell, but after a few minutes of concentration the charm broke.

Rose sighed in frustration. "That one wasn't bad," a voice said from behind her. She turned to see Scorpius, leaning against the wall and watching her. "But you need a happier memory."

"I'm trying everything I have," she retorted. She sighed again. Deep down, Rose knew Scor was right - she was using memories that just weren't strong enough. They were too shallow to make her truly happy in the way that the spell required, possibly excluding the one of her and her family.

"Come on, Rosie, there has to be something that makes you happy. I know its hard, opening up your mind like this, but its easiest just to forget about what you're doing and live in the moment, or moments, you're thinking about. The more vivid the memory, the more detail you can remember, the easier it is to produce a Patronus. What's the happiest, clearest, most potent memory you can think of?"

She pretended to consider the question for a moment. "Beating you in Potions."

He flashed her the smile that she loved, lighting up his face like the sun in a brilliant blue sky, parting whatever clouds she had in her heart and making her feel warm and alive. It was the smile she hadn't seen for months after his mother had died, that she now tried to pry from him whenever she could because she knew how much colder the world was without it. The smile that had gotten her to lower her defenses against the son of her father's enemy that first day on the Hogwarts Express, that had made her realize there might be more to him than his last name. The one he always gave her when she was being silly, or teasing, or stubborn. **Her** smile.

Acting on impulse, Rose closed her eyes. " _Expecto Patronum_." A silver-winged owl flew from her beech wand. It soared around the room, just over the heads of her family members as they paused in their practice to watch it.

Scorpius cast a Patronus; his fox followed the owl from the ground as it flew through the room. "Wise. Independent. Fiercely loyal. An owl makes sense for you," he said, ruffling her frizzy red hair affectionately as her Patronus swooped down so it was on the same level as Scorpius'. She didn't answer him, unsure as to what would come out of her mouth once she opened it. Her thoughts were scattered from the epiphany that had just taken place in her head, her emotions even more so. Part of her was taken aback, of course, though a smaller part of her was even more surprised it had taken her this long to piece it together. Really, how hadn't she seen it before? It was perfectly obvious, when she stopped to think about it.

The two silver animals played together near the fireplace before slowly fading into the air.

Her family left their places around the room to speak with her, hug her, congratulate her. Their compliments of her spell-casting were short-lived, however, as they were soon all distracted by a musical noise that seemed to be growing louder…

James, Fred and Roxanne burst into the room from the hall (Rose hadn't even noticed they'd left), levitating a gigantic birthday cake decorated with Ravenclaw blue frosting and white sugar roses. What appeared to be a small symphony floated behind them, an ensemble of self-playing instruments enchanted to perform 'Happy Birthday.' Her family and friends began singing, and Rose made sure to glare at each and every one of them individually. Suddenly Fred's earlier comments, as well as Andrea's statement that had been cut off by James, all made sense. She had been about to say birthday party! _"James told me about today, and of course I couldn't miss your_ _ **birthday party**_ _."_ Rose was going to kill them all.

"How long have they been planning this?" she growled under her breath to Scorpius.

"Don't be too hard on them, Rosie-"

"Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, give me a straight answer, how long has my family been planning this?"

He sighed. "About as long as I've been planning to hold a Defense lesson. Albus wanted revenge for last year, and James, Fred and Roxanne can never say no to a scheme."

The singing stopped, and the cake floated down to her eyelevel; they expected her to blow out the candles. She glared over its top tier at Fred, then James. "You do realize my birthday isn't even until tomorrow, don't you?"

"But we have classes tomorrow," Fred grinned. "And Quidditch."

"And we knew how much you'd **hate** it if we didn't all get to celebrate your birthday with you," James added.

Roxanne gave her best pout. "Come on Rose, after cake we can all go back to practicing if you'd like. Please? Molly, Lucy, and I went down to the kitchens this morning to bake it from scratch using Nana Weasley's recipe, just for you."

Rose's heart softened a bit, and she blew out the candles sitting atop the cake. She would always have time to jinx Albus later.


	25. Chapter 25

Hello all! Once again, I'm sorry for not updating as regularly as I would like. Things have been rather rough on my end, and lately it's been all I can do to keep my head above water, both with my schoolwork and social life.

For those of you who read The Thorn in My Side, I should warn you that I may not be updating for a little while. In the spirit of honesty, I should probably tell you all that the character of Andy was based off the personality of a very good friend of mine, who I've recently parted ways with. I'm not sure how long our rift will last, or even if it will ever be repaired. It was odd, writing for her character in this chapter when I know that the real "Andy" will no longer speak to me because of things that are beyond my control, and I don't know if I could realistically write another chapter from her POV right now. The story isn't dead, I promise, and I know exactly what will happen next - I just can't write it at the moment. Again, I'm sorry, and I promise to keep trying. Also, fair warning, Andy may play a more minor role in the following chapters of this story than she would have otherwise, for which I apologize again. I won't do anything that is drastically out of character, but I may not talk as much about her and how she deals with the exciting events to come.

* * *

 **Chapter 25**

 **Fifth Year, Part One**

Rose, Hugo, and their parents took the holiday to Italy they had been planning for over a year at the beginning of the summer. Though Rose insisted from the beginning that Andrea join them, and her parents readily agreed, at first Andrea was hesitant to accept the offer; not wanting to impose, she protested that the family take the time to bond over the sights of Rome, Venice, and Sicily alone with one another. "Bond? With Hugo?" Rose snorted when her friend tried to explain her rationale. "Andy, if you try to leave me alone with him and my bickering parents for a month in the middle of a foreign country, you'll just make it far more likely that someone will come back in more than one piece." Of course, the Gryffindor couldn't argue with that logic, and so she consented to join them.

The five of them traveled abroad for just over a month, and greatly enjoyed spending their days visiting historical sites, both magical and mundane. Rose's favorite part of the trip was the Roman Colosseum, where they had to pass through many layers of complex enchantments to view a part of the stadium that had been used for Muggles to watch ancient wizard duels long before the International Statute of Wizard Secrecy had been signed. Andy appreciated the food the most, a sentiment both Hugo and Ron agreed with. And though Rose thought her mother appeared to enjoy everything, none of the sights they saw or the dishes they tried seemed to give her as much pleasure as speaking with locals in her newly perfected Italian; Hermione had started learning the language three months ago in preparation for the trip, and now appeared to be fluent, a fact she took great pride in. Though all five got along well overall, they were made to live in far closer quarters than they were used to back at home, and of course that was bound to lead to a few difficulties. Hugo was occasionally infuriating, their father was stubborn, their mother planned out their days down to their restroom breaks and bedtimes, and Andy sometimes grew irritable when tour guides or waiters referred to Ron and Hermione as her parents. Still, Rose loved them, and (nearly) every hour she spent with them under the azure Mediterranean sky was filled with a kind of magic that didn't need a wand or a cauldron to be created, but was no less beautiful for its simplicity.

Of course, all of these moments and revelations had to be shared with Scorpius on a daily basis, lest he get too far behind on happenings of her life. There was nothing she didn't tell him when she was writing; she left out no aspect of her day, and though his summer at Malfoy Manor was far more mundane than her journey through Italy, his responses were similarly detailed. There was absolutely nothing she held back… other than the origin of the memory she'd used to conjure her first Patronus last spring. He'd asked her about it after the DADA lesson, when they were alone, but she hadn't even had the time to think about it properly (and she still hadn't, even now), and so she'd kept it to herself, despite his prodding questions. After all, why would she tell him something that could potentially make him feel awkward when she didn't even have proof it meant what she thought? True, emotions didn't usually have evidence, that wasn't how they worked… but why would she jeopardize her friendship with Scorpius, one of the most important things in her life, on anything less than solid evidence? Though rash decisions sometimes worked out to the benefit of those involved, such as when she'd first befriended Scor, they also had the potential to create catastrophic damage; Rose felt she was perfectly happy with the way things were, and therefore had no desire to disrupt something that was so valuable to her as her relationship with the young Malfoy. And so she stayed silent about the revelation she'd had that day, and she waited, and contented herself with writing long letters about the mermaids in the Venetian canals and the multiple levitation charms holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

After the first two weeks of her constant communication with Scorpius from halfway across the world, in which Rose had sent poor Circe across the Atlantic nine times, her mother put her foot down; as a result, she was only allowed to send owls twice a week for the remainder of the trip. Rose didn't often disagree with her mother's judgment, as her own decision-making processes were fairly similar and logical, and objectively speaking it was clear Circe needed rest. Still, she remained cross throughout the rest of the day, and brought it up again that night as she and Andy sat together in the small family room of the Sicilian villa they were currently staying in.

"Scorpius really needs to get a cell phone," Rose grumbled.

Andy looked up from the journal she had been writing in as she sat in an armchair, looking perplexed. "Do you even have one?"

Rose shrugged, "No, but…" She broke off as Circe landed on the back of Andrea's chair. "Here, come here girl," she said, offering the bird her arm. The snowy owl's yellow eyes watched her warily. "No more letters for the next few days, I promise. Just treats." Rose held up a drawstring bag for the owl's inspection. After a pause, the bird consented, and flew across the room to perch on her owner's wrist. As Rose offered her a treat, Circe nipped her finger, leaving a small line of blood. The girl winced remorsefully. "Guess I deserved that one, huh?" She tentatively reached to stroke her friend's milky feathers; it seemed that their bond had been repaired, as the bird bent its head to allow the contact.

Rose sighed and turned back to Andy. "It's just hard. Being so far from Britain. We're doing all of these incredible things… but doing them without Scorpius – and Al," she added quickly, "makes them feel so surreal. Like none of it is truly happening until Scor makes some witty comment about all of the _pomodori_ we've been eating, or threatens to push Al into a well with a marabbecca if he doesn't get his nose out of a guidebook."

"Have you told him how you feel yet?" Andy asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Scorpius. Have you told him yet that you fancy him?"

"Wh-what?" Rose spluttered, clenching her hands into fists. Circe, displeased by her owner's sudden movement, flew to the top of the armoir in the corner, hooting indignantly. "He's my…I don't **fancy** -"

"Oh come on, why are you being so coy about this?" Andy paused. "Unless you really don't realize…" she mused. "Though I doubt anyone could be quite so out of touch with their emotions – that's a feat not even you are capable of, Rose Weasley."

Rose scoured the room for some sort of distraction, an object she could use to divert this unwanted attention from herself. After a moment of nearly-frantic searching, her eyes locked on the diary Andy had been writing in furiously almost every night they'd been away from England. "And what about you?" the redhead asked her friend, gesturing to the leather-bound book. "You've been scribbling in this diary the whole trip. Writing down your thoughts so you can tell James all about them when we get home?"

The comment was unwarranted, of course, an uncharacteristic shot in the dark, as the Ravenclaw was not one to make rash claims when supporting evidence of any kind was wholly absent. Though Andy had hinted that she and James may have a better relationship than their public quarrels would lead one to believe, there was no reason to suspect that Andy valued his opinion in the same way Rose desperately craved Scorpius'. Rose knew this, of course, and was therefore understandably taken aback when Andy lowered her gaze and replied, "You're not far off…would you like to say hello to your cousin?"

Confused, Rose crossed the room to look over her friend's shoulder at the open journal; for a brief moment, she had the absurd notion that she would find a small sketch of James' face looking back at her, inked onto one of the blank pages. That wasn't what she saw, of course. Instead, she watched in awe as a few lines of her cousin's clumsy writing appeared on the blank page one letter at a time, as if they were being written by an invisible hand:

 _I can't say that I'm terribly surprised. Aunt Hermione has always been, well, the "organized" type. At least you know you'll be leaving Italy having seen literally everything the country has to offer – anything less would be unthinkable in her eyes._

A new line quickly appeared beneath the first one:

 _Wait, no. Pretend I said book. "Unthinkable in her book" sounds so much better. Because she's so crazy about reading._

After a minute's pause, a single word appeared on a new line:

 _Andy?_

Rose picked up the quill Andrea had left on the bed, and after receiving a nod of approval from her friend, she dipped it in the ink well. Placing the tip to the parchment of the book, she wrote:

" _James?"_

 _That's what the ladies are calling me these days_ , was the quick response.

 _What is it, Andrea?_

 _"This isn't Andrea"_

 _Bloody hell Hugo, didn't I ask you last time not to steal this from Andy again?_

 _"So you told my brother about this, but not me? Typical"_

 _I didn't_ _tell_ _him, he stole it! Besides, Rose, I didn't think you'd care whether I made an enchanted diary or not – usually you only care about my magical experiments when they're about to attack you._

 _"You made this? I can't tell whether I should be proud or frightened. Will it bite?"_

 _Care to find out? You can be my first test subject_

 _"James, I swear, I will hex you into the next term if this thing so much as-"_

 _Can't you tell I was joking? Godric, you're worse than Molly!_

Rose frowned. _"Molly? I know you two don't get along_ _ **that**_ _well – she's got too much sense for that – but she's never awful."_

 _You've been gone for a while, little cousin. Things change._

 _"What do you mean? What is she doing to annoy you? I want to know what I should put on the box of chocolates I'm going to send to congratulate her."_

 _Think you're funny, do you? It's not just me, she's been getting everyone here riled up for the past few weeks. She can't stop talking about Professor Flitwick, keeps telling us that we need to go see him._

 _"That's … odd. Any idea why?"_

 _Haven't the foggiest. Uncle Percy took her and Lucy to St. Mungo's for a visit to appease her, and Albus tagged along, but she just went crazy when she saw him, started crying in the middle of the ward. The Healers had to remove her and give her a Calming Draught just to make her stop._

 _"Was she okay?!"_

 _They checked her out, did all kinds of tests, but they all said that nothing was wrong, physically or magically. I reckon she's just going mental._

 _"James! How can you say that?"_

 _Look…Truthfully, I'm worried about her. But sometimes it's easier for me to make an insensitive joke than admit that I care – you should know that by now._

 _"…Who are you and what have you done with James Sirius Potter?"_

 _If you mention this to anyone, you're going to find a Puking Pastille in your porridge the first morning you get back to England._

"Andy," said Rose, "I'm not sure what kind of spell or potion you've used on him, because that **cannot** have been the real James. I won't snitch on you, just promise me you'll keep him like this, at least until he's done at Hogwarts. I'd like to graduate from a castle, not a pile of rubble, and I think you're the best chance we've got at making that happen."

* * *

Professor Flitwick quietly passed away at the end of the summer, soothed in his last moments by sleeping draughts and pain-relieving potions brewed by the staff of St. Mungo's. He'd fought valiantly over the past year and a half, but in the end his severe case of Dragon Pox was simply too much for his old, worn body to bear. The Hogwarts Express came a few days early to carry Rose, Albus, and Scorpius off to begin their fifth year as a result, so that the student body would be there for the large memorial service Headmistress Goshawk and the other Hogwarts professors planned for the start of term.

The air inside each compartment was still and quiet, the halls void of their normal, excited din. Rose found herself speaking in a whisper as she and Albus walked together down to the front of the train. "He was there, that night. He helped."

"What?" he asked, looking up from the carpet.

"The Battle of Hogwarts. Professor Flitwick was there, he defended the castle."

"You know I cared for him, I think he was amazing, but why does that matter, Rose?"

"So many others died, fighting for what they believed in. Our family members all fought against death, and those that survived… After you've risked your life for something so important, a normal passing feels like they died in vain."

"He didn't die in vain."

"But there was no reason for him to die," she countered, "not like there was back then. Death never truly leaves us, I suppose. Like in _The Story of the Three Brothers_ – he'll always be there, waiting… who will be next?"

Albus's green eyes, filled with understanding, met her brown ones. "Rose, I promise you, he didn't die in vain. Our family, the Order, they fought so that the rest of the Wizard World could live normal lives… and die normal deaths. He got to pass on as an old man – okay," he corrected himself when he saw her expression, "an even **older** man, peacefully in his sleep, only because he and our family and the others who were brave enough fought and won. Without him, Hogwarts might not be standing now, and we may not even exist. He helped to accomplish what the Order set out to do, and he passed on knowing that all we have now is in part thanks to him. He didn't die in battle, but he died with honor, and he deserves to rest in peace just the same as Uncle Fred, and Teddy's parents, and the rest of those who were lost."

"I know he deserves peace, Al… I guess I hadn't seen it that way. I just wasn't sure

if –" her thoughts were cut short as a timid-looking first year approached her.

"E-excuse me," he said, eyeing the blue and copper Prefect badge pinned to her robes, "but…why is everyone so sad? Is Hogwarts going to be like this too?"

Rose bit her lip. Once again, she had been left in the role of comforter, needing to figure out what to say without putting her foot in her own mouth. After a moment's thought, she knelt down so she was at the boy's eye-level. "It probably will be, for the first few days. But once classes start, I expect it will be a lot less gloomy."

"But why are people so upset?"

"We all lost someone very special who was important to us. Professor Flitwick was a great man who helped lots of people when he fought against You-Know-Who, and when he taught Charms, and we'll miss him very much. I'm sure your parents must have mentioned him."

The boy looked down ashamedly at his trainers. "I don't understand… neither of my dads are wizards."

Rose could have smacked herself for assuming the boy knew about magical history. Before she could reply, however, Albus spoke.

"What's your name?"

The boy looked up from under his thick lashes. "Nicholas Hollins, sir."

"Well, Nicholas, I can tell you all about him, if you'd like."

The boy nodded shyly, and Rose smiled over his head at her cousin. Maybe he wasn't completely hopeless when it came to others' emotions, after all. She was proud of him for passing on Professor Flitwick's legacy – it was no less than the man deserved. "I'll be back in a bit. I can't imagine the Prefect meeting will take too long."

Albus nodded, and the pair went their separate ways.

Rose entered the prefects' carriage just as the meeting was about to begin. She quickly made her way to the seat Scorpius had saved for her as the Head Girl, the Captain of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team Isabella Spinnet, who Rose found to be quite intimidating regardless of how well she knew her, began to welcome both the new and returning prefects. Rose beamed with pride as her cousin Louis, this year's Head Boy, began to speak confidently about their plans for the coming year.

Scorpius leaned in close to her, his body pressing up against hers. Rose shivered. "Where were you?" he whispered in her ear. Though she wasn't in the habit of keeping secrets from Scorpius (well not many, anyway), she didn't think it was best to talk about the conversation she'd had with Albus in a crowded compartment. "Met an upset first year," she whispered back honestly. "Now pay attention, or Louis will be hurt with us, though he'll try not to show it of course." Scorpius grinned and mouthed "Make me" at her, though he obligingly turned his head back toward her cousin as he continued his speech about the new tactics he proposed to crack down on banned items after a large number of students were injured last year by Fanged Frisbees.

The meeting adjourned soon after, and after making sure to congratulate Louis on completing his first task as Head Boy and reassure him that he'd done excellently, Rose left with Scorpius to head back to Albus. As they walked down the length of the abnormally silent train, she looked into a compartment and saw Molly sitting with Lucy, Roxanne, Lorcan, and Lysander, sitting with her knees tucked up in front of her as she stared absently out the window. Molly had lost several pounds over the summer months, and as she hadn't had much to spare to begin with, her clothes now hung on her awkwardly, and her face was more thin and angular. Her skin looked startlingly pale against her red hair and robes. Rose stopped, and Scorpius stopped with her. "What is it?" he asked.

"Molly…"

He placed a hand comfortingly on her back. "I know she'll be okay, Rosie. She just needs some time."

"I think I should speak with her for a bit. If you want to go find Albus…"

"Would you rather I stayed, or left?"

Rose bit her lip. "I don't want to keep you, but-"

He smiled gently. "Then I'll be right here."

She nodded before opening the sliding door. Most of the compartment's occupants looked up at her, surprised but welcoming; Molly continued to stare out at the passing countryside. Hesitantly, Rose sat down next to her cousin. Lucy seemed to sense Rose's intentions, and uncharacteristically took the initiative. "I think I hear the trolley coming – we should go get some sweets," coupled with a few meaningful glances, emptied the room of all its occupants, leaving Rose and Scorpius alone with Molly.

"How are you doing?" Rose asked, placing her hand gently on her cousin's shoulder. The girl turned her head quickly toward the newcomers, then looked startled as she took in the room's emptiness; clearly she had not heard them come in, or seen the others leave.

"I'm okay," the girl whispered in reply. "It's just hard to…" Molly trailed off, and her gaze when back to the window.

"Molly," said Scorpius softly as he sat down across from her. She looked up at him. "Did you know?" Rose asked. "About what would happen?"

Molly looked down and wrapped her arms around her knees, pulling them into her chest to tuck them under her chin. "I don't know what you mean. I didn't know anything."

A silence settled in the compartment. Rose wasn't sure what to do – she couldn't push her cousin to speak about something she clearly didn't want to mention, and yet she was worried and wasn't sure how else she could help Molly get through whatever it was she was going through. Without warning, Scorpius spoke again, and his words banished all other thoughts from Rose's head.

"My Mum saw things before they happened too, sometimes. It's okay."

Molly and Rose both stared at him. "She… she did?" Molly asked tentatively.

Scorpius nodded. "It started when she was about your age, she said. It was hard for her to control them. And scary. At first, she wasn't sure what was real and what belonged in the future."

"But she learned to tell the difference?"

He nodded. "She said the visions – because that's what they were, of course, and they're rare and special things in the magical community – had a certain look around them. Like a watermark on a letter. She learned to recognize it, and so she could tell what things were happening in front of her and what things had yet to happen."

Molly's eyes filled with tears. "I don't want to have to learn about them. I just want them to go away, and to be normal."

"'Normal' depends on your point of view, Mol," said Rose quietly. "Remember all those stories Uncle Harry used to tell us about his awful aunt and uncle, the Dursleys? They thought he wasn't normal, just because he was a wizard."

Scorpius nodded. "You have a gift. It's not always an easy one to bear, I know. But it's a part of you, just like it was a part of my Mum. There are some days you'll wish you couldn't see these things, or could forget about them after. But that's normal. Hell, even Rosie feels that way about her hair sometimes," he teased, ruffling Rose's fiery locks and eliciting a giggle from Molly. "But sometimes you can see really beautiful things, too. I won't try to tell you that you should feel lucky, or grateful, because feelings don't work like that."

"But this is you," Rose added, "and I will always love you for it, just as much as I already loved you. And Scorp and I will always be here for you to support you in whatever way you need."

A few tears rolled down Molly's cheeks, and Rose leaned to hug her. "Thank you," the girl said quietly. "But please, don't tell anyone else right now. I know they're worried, but I think this is something I need to learn about myself on my own before I talk with them about it."

Rose and Scorpius nodded, and continued to sit with her until the others returned from their search for the trolley.


	26. Chapter 26

Hello all! So, finals are almost upon me, and once again I have severely underestimated my ability to procrastinate. In order to celebrate, and to hopefully appease the apparently insatiable desire to write this story I've been feeling this past week, here's a new chapter! I'm really excited to see what you all think of this one, as it contains one of the first plot points I developed when envisioning this story. I'd love to hear your opinions! As always reviews, favorites, follows and PMs are all encouraged and well-loved.

 **Anti-litigation charm!** I do not own _Harry Potter_ or any associated characters.

* * *

 **Chapter 26**

 **Fifth Year, Part Two**

Professor Flitwick's memorial service on August 25th was large, elaborate, and beautiful. Each of the golden chairs positioned around the Black Lake, of which there were hundreds, was occupied by a grieving witch, wizard, or goblin. Indeed, Rose was surprised at the number of goblins she saw, though when she made the comment aloud Charlie McLeod kindly reminded her that Professor Flitwick had been part-goblin, and had even played a large role in helping her mother advocate for the rights of sentient magical creatures. She also came to the conclusion that Gringotts must have closed for the day in order to accommodate the desire of so many goblins to attend; she couldn't possibly see how the bank would have been able to continue running with so many of its employees away. Many respected members of international wizard society were also present, including the current Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt, and the other surviving members of the Order of the Phoenix and Dumbledore's Army. She spotted the Malfoys soon after sitting down, and nodded politely as they passed her seat. Draco graciously returned the gesture, as did Narcissa; Lucius turned his head and pretended she didn't exist, which suited her just fine. Rose also spotted her parents near the front of the throng, with her Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny sitting on their right, and the Schmanders to their left. On Luna's other side she saw a white-haired man whom she couldn't place, though she assumed he was somehow related to the rest of Dumbledore's Army. Albus saw the direction she was looking in and whispered as the service began, "That's Theodore Bones. His whole family was lost in the War. His wife and extended family were killed by Death Eaters, and his only child Susan was in the D.A. – she died in the Battle of Hogwarts. He lives alone above his flower shop in Diagon Alley, now." Rose bowed her head in sadness. It pained her to think of all of those lives, lost.

Kingsley interrupted her thoughts as he gave a moving speech to honor the professor's memory; Professor McGonagall and current Headmistress Miranda Goshawk then followed suit. The Hogwarts Frog Choir performed several songs as well, under the direction of their new head, Professor Longbottom. After Flitwick's body had been lowered into the ground near the tomb of Albus Dumbledore, an audacious student caused a pineapple to appear and charmed it to perform a tap dance, in honor of the exam question the professor had given to generations of Hogwarts students. Though Rose had managed to get through the rest of the ceremony without shedding a tear (she hated crying in front of other people), the comical appearance of that stupid pineapple brought her back to her first year exams with Professor Flitwick, and she suddenly felt her cheeks become very wet. Scorpius, upon seeing that she was upset, grabbed her hand and refused to let go until they'd made it back to the castle. They'd gotten a few odd looks, and her father had looked less than pleased when he spotted their linked hands after the service, but no one said anything to them about it. Rose thought to herself that anyone who was bothered or surprised could shove it.

Before she retired for the evening, and while Scorpius and Albus were still downstairs in the Great Hall with their respective families, Rose snuck up to the boys' dormitories and left a small box on Albus' bed. Inside it were two things – a small red velvet cake she'd snuck into the Hogwarts kitchens yesterday to bake, and a scroll of parchment decorated in moving drawings of balloons and confetti that read " _Happy Birthday"._

* * *

Classes resumed on September 2nd, and things slowly returned to normal thereafter. Rose, Scorpius, Albus, and the other fifth years soon came to the painful realization that they would have to sit for their O.W.L.s before the school year was out, and Rose immediately set to work at getting as far ahead as she could in her classes so she'd have more time to study toward the end of term. Scorpius and Albus joined her, for the most part, though they were not as diligent or enthusiastic as their redheaded friend. Her studies tapered off considerably after a few weeks as Quidditch season came into full swing, but there was no ridding herself of the constant drive to work harder in her lessons than she ever had before. Rather than causing her to retreat into her books, however, this change was accompanied by a drive to do more of **everything** , to live life to its fullest before exams came and with them self-imposed exile to the library.

This desire to make up for soon-to-be lost time included finally getting Albus back for the stunt he had pulled for her birthday last year.

Rose glanced around the Ravenclaw common room to ensure she was alone, carefully eyeing large windows and the crisp October sky that lay beyond to make certain that someone wasn't hiding behind their midnight blue curtains, before reaching for Albus' schoolbag. She poked around for a moment, trying not to disrupt the messy bundles of parchment strewn inside in a way that would be too noticeable, before she came across his kit of potions ingredients. Pulling it out carefully, she opened the box and weighed her options. She heard a set of footsteps on the stairs coming from the boys dorms and froze, unable to move. Why was she doing this, she wondered. She wasn't cut out for sneaky pranks like this – she needed to get back at Al, but why had she decided not to just hex him like last time? And now she would be caught red-handed, and she'd be too embarrassed to get proper revenge like he deserved, and-

Gregory Olivander appeared from the boys' part of the tower, and Rose breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at her strangely for a moment before he approached her. "Rose, why do you look so nervous?"

She looked both ways before answering, hesitant to state her intentions out loud. "I need to get Albus back for something last term."

Gregory looked at the kit she held in her hands and smiled. "You're switching his potions ingredients? That's brilliant. I'd expect nothing less from you, of course."

Rose shook her head, willing herself to forget the compliment. "Yes, well, I should get to it, before he comes down here…"

"I'll be lookout for you," he replied quickly. Without another word, he strode across the common room and started up the steps to the boys' dorms. He stopped about a third of the way up, so she could still see the bottoms of his trainers on the carpet, but nothing more.

Rose shrugged to herself, then returned to the task she had begun. The trick would be to switch the labels on ingredients that looked close enough to one another so that Al wouldn't be able to tell the difference. It helped that her cousin was rather hopeless when it came to Potions, and most likely wouldn't pick up on the subtle differences between ingredients like she would. She didn't want to blow him up either, though, and made a mental note not to tamper with ingredients that were too dangerous, like Erumpent horn or fireflower balm.

Rose picked up the vials of newts eyes and eels eyes, considered their relative appearances for a moment, then flipped the labels. She did the same with lovage and motherwort, ginger root and Mandrake root, and neem oil and snake oil, as well as a few other pairs of ingredients. Just as she was reaching for the container of antimony, however, she heard Gregory's voice from the top of the stairs to the boys' chambers. She could only hear bits and pieces of what he was saying, but she took it to mean that Albus was on his way downstairs, and so she quickly replaced the lid of his Potions kit and slid it back into his knapsack. As she stood, Albus appeared at the top of the stairs. Rose grabbed the strap of his bag and carried it to him. "You almost forgot your bag. Come on, we're going to be late for class, Scorpius is probably already there."

Albus raised an eyebrow. "Is there a reason you're so eager to head to Potions? I know you're a prodigy, but-"

"Professor Rosier can't stand it when students are tardy. And I really want to get brewing," she answered while avoiding eye contact. She didn't think he bought it, but he didn't press the subject either. The two left the common room and headed down the stairs to the dungeons.

* * *

Rose kept glancing at the bench behind her during Potions, waiting for something to happen. Thankfully, Professor Rosier had asked them all to brew their potions individually today, and so Scorpius would be spared from whatever havoc her prank wrought on Albus' efforts. She didn't have long to wait. Just as she was about to add syrup of hellebore to her Draught of Peace brew, she heard a small bang behind her, followed by a good deal of coughing. Eagerly, she spun around, and was pleased (though mildly surprised) by what she saw – Albus' face was black, covered in what appeared to be scalded potion. He was coughing violently, and suddenly Rose understood – the stupid git had been leaning over his cauldron as he added the mislabeled ingredient. Rose rolled her eyes before running to help Scorpius guide Albus away from the bench; they'd learned on the first day of Potions during their first year never to lean over the cauldron like that, for precisely this reason.

The low-ceilinged room quickly filled with acrid black smoke. Professor Rosier led the class out quickly, and conscripted Rose and Scorpius to take Albus to the Hospital Wing to have his lungs cleared. "Al, what the bloody hell happened?" Scorpius asked once they were out of earshot. Rose grinned. "I think our dear Albus confused porcupine quills with lionfish spine… you know, just like last year when he confused me for someone who **likes to have their birthday celebrated.** "

Albus stopped dead in the middle of the corridor and scowled. "You-did-this?" he spluttered between coughs.

"Well, you weren't supposed to be leaning over your cauldron when it happened, but yes. Consider us even now."

Scorpius snickered, but quickly feigned a cough to cover himself when Albus turned to glare at him.

* * *

After they left the Hospital Wing, Rose, Albus and Scorpius left the castle and headed toward Hagrid's hut, just as they had every Friday since their first year. The aging half-giant came from around the side of the house, the direction of the garden, before Rose could raise her hand to knock on the tall wooden door. "All righ', you three?" he asked, twirling a large shovel in his hands as if it were a child's baton. "Innit a bit early for yeh to be here?"

Albus glowered at Rose. "Madame Longbottom excused us from the rest of our classes today. She told me to take it easy."

"Ah, well I better put up some tea, then," Hagrid answered, oblivious. "Been workin' in the garden all day, tryin' ta harvest these vegetables 'fore I start breedin' Blast-Ended Skrewts again this year. Ye'll be in for a treat when they hatch in the spring!" He grinned, then shouted. "Saber, time ta come in!"

His call received no response. After a few moments of silence, the half-giant called a little louder. "C'mon Saber, we have comp'ny!"

There was still sign of the boarhound.

Hagrid became increasingly agitated as the four of them circled the hut and nearby field, calling for the dog. But still, they never saw nor heard one hint of their furry, slobbery friend, no matter how loudly whistled.

"When did you see him last, Hagrid? How far could he have gotten?" Scorpius asked.

"I saw 'em less than ten minutes ago! He trotted off when I started diggin' up the potatoes, mighta been chasin' a bird or summat."

"Could he have gone into the Forbidden Forest?" he asked.

Rose eyed its edge distrustfully, an ominous dark line across the otherwise golden sky, which was soft with the October sun and smelled faintly of burning leaves.

"I don't see why he would, but I can't think of anywhere else he coulda gone either," the gamekeeper replied. He hustled them back toward the wooden hut. "I'll jus leave this shovel in the garden and go get us some lanterns 'fore we set out to find him. It's only noon, but it gets real dark in there if ya go deep enough. There's nothin' that'll hurt him durin' the day, but if he gets it in his mind to stay past dusk…"

"Hagrid, we probably shouldn't," Rose started to say, before Albus elbowed her in the stomach.

"Rosie, we'll be **fine** ," he whispered in her ear. "Look, do you really want to tell Hagrid we won't help him look for his dog? He'd never forgive us. We'll be perfectly safe with him, Dad did it in his first year, at night no less."

"Yes, because that worked out just brilliantly for him," Rose hissed back. "Need I remind you, Mr. Idealistic, that you were **attacked** just over a year ago, and in front of far more people than we will encounter in the Forbidden Forest? And you **just** left the Hospital Wing not ten minutes ago."

Rose regretted the words as soon as they had escaped her mouth. That had been the worst possible way to handle her cousin, and he was already angry with her to boot. Sure enough, she saw his green eyes harden as he squared his shoulders and turned to Hagrid. "Of course we'll search with you, Hagrid, you know we'd do anything to help. In fact, Rose just suggested that it would be best if we split up to cover more ground."

Though Rose remembered that Albus had been a Hatstall, before today she had never been able to picture him as anything but a Ravenclaw. But now, as she stood there seething, she felt the Sorting Hat had made a terrible mistake. He should have been a Gryffindor.

* * *

Hagrid took them to the edge of a narrow dirt path that forked before disappearing into the thick black trees. "All righ', I think Albus and I should take the right path, it goes a bit further in than the left, I don't want ter send you two in too deep alone. Rose, Scorpius, can you handle the shallower one?

A breeze from the woods lifted Rose's fiery red hair, momentarily mixing it with Scorpius' silver blonde. She didn't want to enter the Forbidden Forest, not in the slightest, but she was relieved the gamekeeper had taken it upon himself to pair off with her cousin, and so she responded, "Sure."

"We'll find him, don't worry Hagrid," Scorpius added, reaching down for Rose's trembling hand and giving it a tight squeeze before releasing her.

He passed them a lantern, and after reminding them to send up red sparks if they were in trouble or green if they found Saber, left them at the edge of the forest. Albus followed, turning to flash his friends an excited grin before disappearing into the shadows.

Once they were out of sight, Scorpius turned to her and murmured, "Rosie, if you don't want to go in, we don't have to."

She sighed. "And what do you suggest we do then, Scor? There's no backing out now, not without letting Hagrid down … Just stay close to me, okay?"

He nodded, and the pair set off.

What bothered Rose most about the Forbidden Forest was its silence. There were no birds chirping, no squirrels chattering amongst the leaves in the trees or rabbits rustling in the brush. The only sounds she heard were her and Scorpius' breathing, accompanied by the occasional sharp snapping of twigs as they stepped on them. After nearly forty minutes with no sign of danger (or Saber), however, Rose had to admit that the Forbidden Forest wasn't as perilous as she'd expected. Though none of the creatures she and Scorpius had happened upon had been exceedingly friendly (particularly the Bowtruckle that had begun pelting them with berries when they stepped too close to the tree it guarded), and though the forest itself gave off an aura that was far from welcoming, her family's stories had led her to believe it was a dark place where you were continuously under attack from anything from spiders to centaurs. Rose still wasn't eager to venture too far into its eerie, silent blackness, particularly at any time after nightfall, but she was beginning to believe that her parents' stories had been over-exaggerated. After all, when you're traveling with The Boy Who Lived, facing the most powerful Dark wizard the world had ever known, you were bound to be in constant mortal peril, weren't you? She understood intellectually that the forest would never be a wise place to let your guard down due to the dangerous nature of most of its inhabitants, like werewolves and blood-sucking bugbears, but there was no sense in being constantly anxious and afraid of it either.

Any remnant of fear she may have held vanished from her mind when she spotted a cluster of small black flowers growing at the base of a thick pine tree to her right, barely visible in the greyish sunlight filtered through the trees above them, enveloped as they were by the tree's large roots. "Is that hellebore?" Rose asked curiously, speaking aloud though she knew Scorpius was unlikely to know the answer – Herbology had never been his strongest subject, and neither had Potions. Her friend merely shrugged, as she'd expected. She took a step toward the dark, beautiful flowers, then another; Scorpius shadowed her movements so that he remained standing immediately behind her – it seemed he had taken her earlier directive literally, and she didn't mind. "That's so strange, I didn't know it grew wild like this – Professor Longbottom mentioned how particular it is, and it's an awfully expensive Potions ingredient…"

Rose bent forward quickly, reaching to examine the plant's onyx-colored leaves and petals, so dark they almost seemed to be covered in ink but didn't reflect any light. A streak of purple flame shot above her, missing her by a hairsbreadth and nearly catching Scorpius in the chest. He cast a Shield Charm without thinking, before he could even utter " _Protego_ ," which absorbed the curse as it shattered from the impact.

Rose, who had fallen to all fours, gaped at him. "Did you just cast a nonverbal?" she asked.

"I don't know, I just-" his panicked words turned into a wordless cry of alarm as another flash of violet appeared. He dropped down beside her, hiding behind the large twisted roots of the pine tree, eye-to-eye with the patch of mysterious black flowers. His voice had become tense and low. "We can discuss my newfound skill later. Right now I'm more concerned with getting out of this bloody forest in one piece. _Protego_." A faint line had begun to appear on his right cheek, growing larger and redder every moment, a bit of the spell that had gotten through his last shield.

Their situation finally sank in, shock wearing off as she stared at her friend's injury. "They – they're aiming for us, aren't they? Whoever went after Albus in Diagon Alley thinks he's with us, and they're attacking?"

Scorpius smiled grimly. "I think they're after **you** this time, Rosie."

A wave of purple flame hit the pine's trunk a foot above them, creating a deep gash in the wood and raining splinters on their heads, which seemed to shimmer in the light of the shield Scorpius had cast around them.

"Whoever is casting these must be close enough to see that Al isn't here. There's only one, though, or we would be dead already." Another spell struck the tree just above their heads. "Right then, time to move," he said, grabbing her hand. "Wand out and stay close to me."

He pulled Rose to her feet and behind the pine just as a curse hit the ground where they had been lying. They continued to dart from tree to tree, running just as each of their assailant's spells landed, heading deeper into the forest as they were effectively herded away from the castle. Suddenly, their attacker changed pattern, and instead began to hammer the thin sycamore they'd taken refuge behind with curses. Though the tree was strong, it certainly wouldn't hold out forever, and Rose feared those ominous purple flames would reach them before the pair had another opening to run. Desperate, she reached into her robes and pulled out the stock of potions she'd begun brewing last year, in case a circumstance such as this arose; she quickly found one that contained an acid-green mixture and stuffed the rest back into her pocket, then poked her head out from behind the sycamore's trunk.

"ROSE, what are you doing?" yelled Scoprius as he reached for her arm to pull her back into relative safety. Before he could do so, Rose threw the vial toward their opponent with the unerring strength and aim of a Chaser. As the glass left her hand, a streak of the violet light caught her across the arm; though Scorpius' shield stopped most of the spell from getting through, her skin there stung as if it had been struck with the blunt edge of a knife.

A small explosion lit up the forest in front of them, accompanied by the sound of splintering trees and crackling flames, before all fell quiet. The curses had stopped.

"That was brilliant. Did you make that?" Scorpius asked.

Rose nodded as she absently clutched at her arm, and slid down to sit at the tree's base. "Thanks for that book of advanced potions, by the way. Seems to have been useful." She bit her lip and tried to keep her voice from shaking. "I doubt it'll keep them out for long, though, if it even hit them in the first place. Whoever this is probably just plans to wait until we move, so they can get a clear shot. Should we send up red sparks, to tell Hagrid we're in trouble?"

Scorpius stooped down next to her, gracefully balancing on the balls of his feet, resting his arms on his bent knees. "What could Hagrid do, though? He doesn't have a wand, and this is obviously a skilled wizard – he's using Dolohov's Curse. It's Dark, difficult, and very effective. Besides, if Hagrid came to get us then he'd bring Albus with him, and I'd really like your cousin to remain as far from this mess as possible." He eyed her with concern. "Having one of the people I care for be targeted is bad enough. How is your arm?"

"It's fine," said Rose, though her tone did little to convince him. She continued hastily, "And they probably heard that explosion. Which means if we want to keep Al safe, we have to get away and find those two before they come to find us."

A thunderous rumbling suddenly filled the silent shadows of the forest, growing steadily louder every moment. The pair's conversation ended as they snapped their heads toward the noise. Rose clutched at Scorpius' hand with one of her own, and tightly gripped her wand in the other. At first she feared that their fight had awakened the Acromantula colony or another herd of dangerous creatures, though as the sound grew still louder she began to question her assumption. Was that… an **engine**?

A light blue Ford Anglia crashed through the trees, skidding to a stop ten feet in front of them, as its doors flew open of their own accord. The horn honked, and Rose grinned. "I really need to thank Grandpa Weasley when I see him at Christmas." She gave her friend's hand a tug. "Come on, let's go!"

The pair dashed toward the car. Rose turned to Scorpius to tell him about how her father and uncle had once ridden it all the way to Hogwarts from Kings Cross, when she saw a streak of violet light over his shoulder. In seconds, it would hit him square in the back.

There was no time to cast a full shield over both of them, no time for an incantation. No time to warn him, either. So, Rose did the only thing she could do: she pushed Scorpius out of the way and tried her best to perform an instantaneous nonverbal Shield Charm. Defense Against the Dark Arts had never been her strongest class, though, and nonverbals were advanced magic. She managed to get up a very weak barrier before the curse collided with her. It shattered instantly upon the spell's impact, which knocked her onto the ground some distance away.

Rose felt as if her chest had been torn open. Her ribs cracked under the power of the curse, forcing the air from her lungs as she struggled to breathe. Her sight began to fade as she stared up at the forest's canopy, though she tried hard to focus as Scorpius rushed into her field of vision. Distantly, she could hear him calling out to her, but it sounded as if they were underwater. Though the rest of her was cold, bitterly cold, her hands remained warm, and she realized that Scorpius must have been holding them in his own. There was a roaring in her ears that she hoped was the Ford racing toward them, though it could have been the pounding of blood in her ears.

She felt her heart stutter, then fail. Her vision faded to black.


	27. Chapter 27

Happy Friday the 13th, everyone. I decided to publish the next chapter in celebration of finishing my LAST final of the year! I am now officially a college senior :) I know it's shorter than the chapters I've been posting recently, but I didn't want to leave you all in suspense for too long, and this is all I managed to write while studying for finals and writing papers.

Thank you everyone for the kind, encouraging, and excited reviews - they (and you) are all loved.

Reminder: Harry Potter isn't mine, or Lupin would have survived the Battle of Hogwarts.

* * *

 **Chapter 27**

 **Fifth Year, Part Three**

Rose spluttered and gasped as she fought her way into consciousness, her hand clutching at her chest of its own volition, as if it daren't trust the heartbeat it felt pulsing wildly beneath it. It took her a moment to survey her surroundings, as she had expected to find herself in the Forbidden Forest. Instead, she discovered that she had awoken in a rather large, white bed in the Hogwarts Hospital Wing. She was alive, then, and relatively safe. Everything ached, her throat felt as if it were on fire, and her torso was covered in crisp white bandages, but she was alive. She had made it out, somehow. Struggling to calm herself by taking deep breaths, Rose tried to recall how she had gotten here. She shuddered as she remembered having to desperately fight the cold numbness that had been spreading through her body as she lay on the ground, blood rushing through her ears. There was no feasible way for her to have dragged herself back to the castle in that state, or even into the Ford Anglia. Scorpius must have-

Her thought stopped short as she looked around for Scorpius' familiar platinum blonde locks and grey-blue eyes. But he was nowhere in sight. She was alone in her small corner of the Hospital Wing – the hangings around her prevented her from seeing far beyond the bed she was lying in. Her heart resumed its frantic rhythm. Desperately, she wondered where he was, and what kind of state he was in. She quickly dismissed the small, nagging voice in her head that said he may still be in the Forest, or might not even be breathing. No, he was fine. He had to be. Still, that voice was awfully persistent, and Rose had just decided to try to see whether her sore legs would support her well enough to go and look for him when a familiar red-headed figure parted the surrounding curtains.

"Dad," she whimpered, a small, pitiful sound that scraped against her raw throat.

Ron seemed startled that she was awake, though his expression of surprise was quickly replaced by one of love and relief. "Rosie," he said as he crossed the distance between them, enveloping her in a hug that was painful, but one that she desperately needed. Gently, he stroked her hair. "Thank Merlin you're alright," he whispered. "Your Mum and I were so worried. Hannah said it would take time for you to wake up, but seeing you so still and quiet… I couldn't bear it if we'd lost you, sweetheart. "What…happened?" she rasped, wincing at the pain speaking brought her. She shifted over slightly in the bed, and patted the coverlet beside her. Her father understood, and he released her from his hug in order to sit on the bed next to her, though he continued to stroke her hair comfortingly. "We were hoping to ask you the same thing. All I know is that you and Malfoy drove that bloody Ford Anglia straight up to the castle's front door. You must have already been out at that point," he added, seeing her wide eyes. "Naturally, the whole school is in an uproar. Fred and Louis were at Quidditch practice when it happened, they helped Malfoy carry you to the Hospital Wing."

"Dad…Scor…please…" she asked, swallowing the pain. Her father had hinted that he was okay, but she needed to be sure – there was no room for uncertainty, not with this.

"Harry's talking with him, taking his statement. I'm sure he'll come back over once they're done," he said, a bitter tone creeping into his voice, "he's refused to leave your side since the two of you got here."

Rose was flooded with relief. The feeling was short-lived, however.

"Rosie," her father continued, "you'd tell me if he was the one who did this, wouldn't you? There's no need for you to defend him, sweetheart, if he so much as laid a hand on you…" He trailed off as she glared at him, and had the decency to look somewhat abashed. "Alright, forget I mentioned it, then." Rose had a sneaking suspicion that her father wasn't convinced, however, and that he wouldn't let the matter rest there. She suppressed the urge to sigh, in case it agitated her throat.

"Saber?" she managed to croak out. Ron's face grew dark at this. "Hagrid found him at the edge of the forest, about an hour after you and Malfoy came back here. He had a note tied to his collar." He seemed hesitant to respond to her questioning look, and chose instead to dodge the question. "We'll catch them, don't you worry," he added eventually in a quietly assuring tone. "Out of all the traces of the curses he was casting at you two, I'm sure the Aurors will be able to get a wand signature from at least one."

Rose was skeptical of this. If they had been unable to trace the wand that cast the Cruciatus Curse on Albus, she doubted the spells their attacker had cast in the Forbidden Forest would be of much use either. She was about to mention this fear to her father when the hangings around her bed were parted again as someone entered the space. A familiar head of bushy brown hair appeared. "'Mione, she's awake," Ron said excitedly. Hermione quickly rushed to her daughter's side, followed by an eager Hugo.

"Oh sweetheart, are you okay? How are you feeling?"

Rose nodded, tears pricking at her eyes. "I'm…fine…Mum," she answered.

Hugo crowded next to her to pat her shoulder. "I'm glad you're finally awake, dork," he grinned. "You've been asleep for hours."

Just as she was about to respond to her brother's ribbing, Scorpius entered. Rose's eyes flew to the bandage on his right cheek before her brown eyes found his grey ones. Without speaking, and without breaking their eye contact, he quickly crossed to the unoccupied side of her bed and grasped at her hands, just as she remembered he had in the forest before she lost consciousness. No words were necessary as the two studied each other's faces in disbelieving relief. "You're awake. You're okay," he whispered.

She wordlessly withdrew one of her hands to gently touch the bandages on his cheek in response.

"It's nothing, just a scratch," he replied. "I got off far easier than you did."

Rose rolled her eyes.

"Don't give me that look, Rose Weasley, you must know you had us all worried. I bet you can't even sit up all the way. And that wasn't a dare," he added hastily as she attempted to prop herself up further against her pillows. She sank back down to her half-lying position in defeat, surrendering to the intense pain in her ribs triggered by her attempt to move. Mr. Weasley's scowl, which he had been directing toward Scorpius for the entire duration of the boy's interaction with his daughter, intensified. The young Malfoy caught the man's gaze and dropped his eye contact with Rose to stare at the coverlet on her bed, though he continued to hold one of her hands in both of his.

Rose heard Hermione's voice from the other side of the room, though the position of Scorpius' head prevented her from seeing her mother's face. "Have you apologized yet, Ronald?" she asked in a quiet, dangerous tone.

"Apologize?" Rose croaked.

Hermione stepped into her daughter's line of sight in order to glare at her husband. "Care to explain to your daughter what you did?"

"Well, I may have…insinuated-"

"Insinuate?" Hermione asked angrily, her voice rising at least an octave. "You bloody well didn't **insinuate** anything, you-"

"Dad tried to get Uncle Harry to arrest Scorpius," Hugo piped up from the corner.

She heard her father grumble an inarticulate reply. Looking over at him, she saw that he was glaring at one of the tiles on the Hospital Wing floor.

Rose heard her mother huff, and turned to face her. "I'm surprised you didn't wake up, what with the bloody racket he was making. Thankfully, after all these years your uncle knows not to take your father's rants at face value. And frankly, I'm not sure how he could even **think** Scorpius could have done this, after we've known him all this time."

Ron was spared from answering as Harry and Hannah Longbottom née Abbott entered what was quickly becoming a rather crowded sick chamber. Harry, Hermione, and Hugo stood in the corner as the Hogwarts matron bustled about, fluffing Rose's pillows tenderly and handing her a goblet filled to the brim with a foul-smelling healing potion. Rose wrinkled her nose at its odor, which caused Scorpius to chuckle. Ron cast another glare in his direction, and Rose elbowed her father in the side; the movement was painful, but she considered it to be worth it as she saw his face fill with an odd mixture chagrin and irritation. If what her mother and brother said was true, she was deeply hurt by her father's earlier actions. Not surprised, but hurt. How could he ever think so poorly of Scorpius? He was a pureblood, yes, and a Malfoy, but did those things truly matter any more? The War was over, and all of these silly things from the past were supposed to be behind them.

"It doesn't taste the best, but I'm afraid it's rather necessary," said Madame Longbottom, interrupting Rose's thoughts. "It should help with the pain, though, so drink up."

Rose raised the glass to her lips, shuddering at the mixture's awful, bitter taste, though she was grateful for the way in which just one sip relieved some of the rawness of her throat and the soreness of her limbs. She continued to drink, balancing the cup in one hand while allowing Scorpius to retain his hold on the other.

"Rose, I know what you just went through wasn't easy, and I'm proud of the way you kids handled yourselves," started her Uncle Harry. "I got most of the story from Scorpius, but I still need to hear from you what happened as well – Auror protocol."

She took another swig of the disgusting potion before clearing her throat and attempting to answer. "Of course," she said, and was pleased to find that the pain had subsided to the dull ache she associated with a severe cold. Hermione quietly escorted Hugo out of the room, which gave Rose a sense of relief. There was no need for her little brother to hear any of this. Not when she knew how much Albus' attack last year had gotten to him, and how much this one against her must be upsetting him.

"Dad, please leave," she asked quietly, looking down at her hand entwined with Scorpius' in order to avoid making eye contact.

Ron didn't seem too surprised by her request. Still, he departed with good grace after kissing her on the top of her head. Once he had left, Rose scooted a bit to fill the space on the bed he had just vacated in order to allow Scorpius room to sit next to her. At first, he was hesitant to take up the offer. "Perhaps I should leave as well" he began, before Rose cut him off.

"Don't you dare. There's absolutely no reason for you to leave, and I forbid it."

Scorpius shrugged and sat next to her on the bed. "Alright, but if your dad comes back and sees us sitting here like this, he'll have my head."

Harry smiled slightly at the pair. "Yes, well, he'd have to go through me first, and I've heard I can be fairly intimidating when I want to be. Now, Rose, we can stop at any time if you feel you need to take a break. Let's start by talking about why you lot decided to go to Hagrid's."

She snorted. "It's Friday. Do we need more of a reason than that?"

Harry grinned.

"Uncle Harry, what happened to Saber?" Rose asked. "Dad said he was found with a note on his collar, but he wouldn't tell me what it said."

The man sighed, and Scorpius stroked comforting circles on the back of her hand with his thumb. "It said the same thing as last time. _Your father's actions will be paid for in your blood._ Whoever is behind this has it out for your dad as well, Rose. They must have taken Saber to lure you into the forest. But I'm sure that this latest attack will bring us much closer to finding him."

"I figured it was something like that," she replied softly. "Thank you for telling me – I guess Dad just didn't want to worry me."

"I know you're too much like your mum to think it would have helped to keep this from you," Harry said. "Now, is it okay if I ask you a few questions?"

She nodded.

Rose continued to answer her uncle's inquiries until they reached the part when the old Weasley car had appeared. "I- I don't know what happened after that," she said. "We were running toward it, and then I saw a purple jet of light over Scorpius' shoulder, and I pushed him away-"

Scorpius inhaled quickly and tightened his grip on her hand. "Rosie, I didn't know that's why– you shouldn't have – you could have dodged it!"

"But it would have hit you full on, you would have died! Look, I'm fine now, aren't I? Just a few scratches." She turned back to her uncle. "I managed to get a nonverbal Shield Charm up – that's all there was time for. It was weak, but it must have stopped enough of the curse to, well-"

"Keep you alive?" Scorpius growled.

Rose turned back to him. "Oh come on, don't try to tell me you wouldn't have done the same if it were me. We both survived, and I saved your sorry arse, so I really don't see what the problem-"

Scorpius interrupted her with a kiss on her forehead. "Thank you," he said quietly. His tone shifted and became chastising, "But Rowena forbid something like this happens again, I don't want to hear about any of this heroic Gryffindor nonsense. If anything happened to you…"

"Prat," she whispered. "Don't you know I feel the same way? I'll take the bandages and the bed rest any day if it means you'll still be around to yell at me for it."

He squeezed her hand, and was about to respond when Harry cleared his throat. "Well, I think that's all I need," he said, before turning to leave. "Oh, and Scorpius?" he began, with his back still facing the pair, "you know Ginny and I are rather fond of you, and I'll defend your character in this whole nonsense with Ron…but if you hurt my niece, I'll have to kill you."

Scorpius seemed to turn green at the man's words. And with that, The Boy Who Lived strode out of the Hospital Wing, smiling ear to ear. _Now who would have thought?_ he chuckled to himself. _A Malfoy and a Weasley?_


	28. Chapter 28

Hello lovelies! I'm sorry for not updating last week, I was being held captive by an adorable six-year-old (my godson) and didn't have time to write much. As a reward for your patience, here is the longest chapter I have ever written! Most of it takes place in Rose's head, though that doesn't mean it isn't an interesting chapter - well, you'll understand once you've read it ;)

As always, your reviews, favorites, follows and PMs are deeply appreciated. Feel free to tell me anything you feel I'm doing right, anything you feel I'm doing wrong, or even just to say hello. I don't bite, I promise - I'm a Ravenpuff through and through.

Just as a reminder, I do not own _Harry Potter_ or any affiliated characters, etc.

* * *

 **Chapter 28**

 **Fifth Year, Part Four**

 _They say the bowtruckle never falls far from the tree, dear readers, and it appears that this old wizarding adage has once again been proven correct, by none other than a member of the "New Golden Trio" themselves. In addition to being a coquettish know-it-all like her mother before her, last weekend Rose Weasley, age thirteen, proved that she takes after her father in more than just her unfortunate hair color. Ronald Weasley, tired of playing second fiddle to his closest companions during their infamous War against You Know Who almost twenty-five years ago, was well known for putting himself into dangerous situations to garner the attention and admiration of others (see my recently released book 'Dumbledore's Army: The Predestined Self-Detonation' for more information on his splinching "accident" and other fiascos). It seems that the Ravenclaw in question is not yet wise enough to come up with her own, more original, tricks of the trade, and Hogwarts is abuzz with the most recent titillating gossip. Not to be outdone by her cousin's life-threatening ordeal last summer (reported on at the time by yours truly), it seems this red-haired heartbreaker intentionally placed herself well within harm's way in her pursuit of fame, and of the affection she clearly does not receive at home. After taking a romantic stroll in the incredibly treacherous Forbidden Forest with none other than Scorpius Hermes Malfoy, her housemate and clandestine star-crossed lover, the pair was set upon by a mysterious attacker. Though the Weasley in question (hard to keep them all straight, when there are so many of them) was unavailable for comment, we can only assume that the witch's primary motivation was to tighten the snare she's managed to secure around that certain pureblooded someone – there's no word on how long their schoolyard fling may last, and Rose seems to be pulling out all the stops to hold onto the fetching lad as long as possible. Of course, no one has come forward to claim responsibility for the act, nor has the Auror Department made any kind of headway in the case. You would think that The Boy Who Lived, Head Auror and uncle to the victim herself, would have found the perpetrator by now (if there even was one), but of course, who are we to judge?_

 _Yes, it appears Rose Weasley is not yet finished toying with the affections of her male classmates – if anything, it appears the young witch has only grown more devious with time. A new name has been added to her list of victims: Carl Cloud, a poor Hufflepuff boy with a sweet disposition, who has certainly done nothing to deserve the torment he's currently being subjected to. The two were spotted on a romantic Valentine's date last year in Hogsmeade, but it appears he didn't live up to this vixen's expectations - she quickly dumped him thereafter, leaving a poor, shattered wreck in her wake. Rumor has it that the boy is now barely able to focus on his classwork – and as a Hufflepuff heading toward his O.W.L.s, he clearly needs as much help as he can get. Of course, there could be another reason for the sudden change of heart. Molly Weasley, Rose's cousin and daughter of Percy Weasley, and a Hufflepuff herself, was admitted this summer to St. Mungo's Hospital after experiencing a complete mental breakdown (is she stable enough to be back at Hogwarts this term? Headmaster Goshawk seems to think so). In what may be the 'coincidence' of the year, Carl's mother is a Healer-in-charge at St. Mungo's. Was this family connection simply too emotional for Rose to overcome, tormenting her every time she looked into Carl's poor, dreamy, if a bit dull, eyes? We may never know for certain._

 _Of course, Rose isn't the only Weasley (but really, why_ _ **are**_ _there so many of them? Are their large numbers some form of familial overcompensation?) to be embroiled in a sordid love scandal. James Potter-Weasley and Muggleborn Andrea Sterling are still going strong – indeed, things may be moving more than a tad bit too fast for propriety, as it seems they're already living together. Yes, dear little Andrea has abandoned the house of her Muggle ancestors to live with Rose Weasley and her relatives, and stays with the Potters on a nearly nightly basis. And Dominique Weasley, recent Hogwarts graduate, is now the second of Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour's three children to use their family's fame and important connections to secure a Ministry position; her superiors in the Improper Use of Magic Office were too fearful of repercussion from their Department Head, the one and only Hermione Weasley née Granger, to provide any commentary on Dominique's lack of skills, intelligence, and work ethic. With only a few short months of work under her belt, an office romance is already in the cards for this gorgeous, gregarious rattlebrain (she is part Veela, after all). She and Lisa McLaggen, Auror-in-training, have has been spotted numerous times in romantic locales, including a candle-lit, rose petal-strewn table at Wisteria, the newest and hottest wizard restaurant this side of the Thames (flip to page 15 for my review –_ _ **SPOILER**_ _, it was fabulous). They certainly make an attractive pair, though their dinner conversations can't be terribly erudite. Still, brains aren't everything, or so I've been told by those who aren't quite as quick-witted as yours truly. I'm sure we'll hear more about their sultry affair in the months to come, but until then fair readers, farewell._

Rose put down her copy of the Daily Prophet in an angry huff, nearly knocking over her glass of orange juice as she did so; her nose was wrinkled with disgust. Lysander continued to chew at a slice of toast happily as he sat next to her, blissfully unaware as he read a copy of the Quibbler. Scorpius and Albus eyed her warily from over their plates of toast and eggs from across the table. Though she didn't say anything, and felt a bit annoyed at their reaction, secretly she knew she couldn't blame them for being cautious with her – her emotions had been hard to contain after her attack last month, often fluctuating suddenly between melancholy and misplaced anger. It was difficult to think about what could have happened if she and Scorpius hadn't been so lucky. With just one failed Shield Charm, one slow movement, or one improperly brewed potion, one or both of them may have never made it out of that forest. She very nearly hadn't. Again, she wondered how her parents and Uncle Harry had accomplished so many heroic acts by the time they were her age. Uncle Harry fought Voldemort for the first time when he was only fourteen, and had kept him at bay long enough to escape with the body of Cedric Diggory. Their stories made it sound so effortless, as if saving the wizard world had been as easy as breathing. Yet it seemed as if parts of their experience had been difficult to overcome, though these were never mentioned. Mum still had those scars on her arm, after all, still occasionally had nightmares that woke her up in the middle of the night, which Dad tried to soothe afterward with tea – Rose always knew her mother had had a nightmare when she heard the whistle of the kettle in the morning's early hours. She and Hugo and her parents never spoke about it, but not all things need to be said aloud to be understood. All this made Rose feel better about her own experience, of course. She'd had more nightmares than she could count in the past month, and she woke up in a cold sweat each time as a jet of purple flame consumed her, collapsing her lungs and bones beneath a crushing, invisible weight.

Maybe that was the secret then, the method to the madness. Let luck and skill carry you along as best you can, while you're panicking all the while, then retell the tale in a way that made you sound like a hero, as if you knew what you were doing the entire time; don't let anyone see the pain it causes you afterward, except for those you trust, those who you know will care for you unconditionally, those you don't need to be strong for no matter how powerless your experiences and injuries have made you feel.

It made Rose feel better to think there was a method to the madness, a blueprint she could follow, like the steps to brewing a potion. Maybe she would be okay after all, as long as she stuck to the recipe her parents had laid out before her.

Yes, her moods were unpredictable, to say the least, and through it all Albus and Scorpius had been there, offering her their support and affection. She was glad to have at least two people at Hogwarts whom she knew she could go to with anything without worrying that they would think she was weak or dramatic. There were others she could speak with, of course. Rose was sure the rest of her family besides Albus would have been there for her if she had chosen to let them in. They showed their solidarity, still, guarding her around the castle as they had done with Albus last year. Unlike Albus, she greatly appreciated their efforts: one could never feel too safe, after all, and they all weren't quite as paranoid as they had been last year - they trusted Scorpius and Al to guard her between classes now, for example. But though Rose loved her family, she found it too difficult to confide in most of them, as she knew her struggle could just as easily become theirs, depending on who this madman targeted next. Uncle Harry and the other Aurors still had no leads on the witch or wizard behind the attacks, and it didn't look as if they would any time soon. Because of this, she felt the need to be strong for them, so that if they needed her assistance in the future, they would believe she really was capable of helping them.

Scorpius' hand brushed hers as he reached to pick up the newspaper she had discarded. "No, you really shouldn't-" she started, but it was too late. He had already bent his head over the Daily Prophet, locks of his blonde hair falling into his grey-blue eyes, and Rose stared for a moment before coming back to herself. Scorpius snorted as he read bits of the article aloud. "… _pursuit of fame, and of the affection she clearly does not receive at home… but it appears he didn't live up to this vixen's expectations…_ oh, Merlin, _tormenting her every time she looked into Carl's poor, dreamy, if a bit dull, eyes_? Rose, please don't tell me that this rubbish actually upsets you? It's far too removed from reality for anyone to take it seriously, isn't it?"

"Hippogriff feathers," said Al calmly as he sipped his morning tea. "People will believe anything. Sorry, but it's true," he continued as Rose and Scorpius both glared at him. "Look, Mary Parker is already giggling over at the Gryffindor table. That can't be good. And Gregory Ollivander, or **Greg** as you like to call him, looks extremely put out. You can pretend all you want, mate, but even if people assume that most of what Rita Skeeter writes is distorted hyperbole at best, which they might not, they'll still believe bits of it on some level. You two should get used to our classmates treating you like," he leaned over to read the paper over Scorpius' shoulder, " _clandestine star-crossed lovers",_ at least until they get over it or forget about it. Sorry."

Rose raised her eyebrows in surprise at her cousin. "How perceptive of you, Al."

"Well, it's what happened last time Rita Skeeter wrote about us, I can't imagine why you think it will be any different this time."

Lysander, who had finally looked up to realize what was going on, nodded enthusiastically. "You should see some of the things the Prophet has written about Mum. It's awful, really. But she just turns her head and doesn't let it bother her – otherwise you'll attract lots of negativity. And Wrackspurts."

Rose sighed. She knew her cousin was right, of course, and so was Lysander (well, maybe not the bit about Wrackspurts). At least she knew Scor and Al wouldn't treat her any differently because of something that vile woman wrote, and that was enough to make her content.

"I should head to Potions," Rose said, standing. Professor Rosier always preferred that she come a few minutes early so she could take the curse antidote he brewed for her every day – it was vital that she take it for six weeks after the attack in order to prevent any adverse side effects from developing. The potion itself was fascinating, from a purely academic standpoint; Professor Rosier had even taught her how to brew it, and she was planning on making a batch later that week to subject to his scrutiny. Drinking it every morning and every night for six weeks, however, was another matter entirely. Her mouth filled with a bitter taste just thinking about it.

Scorpius stood up with her. "I'll go with you," he said. Rose looked at him, questioning, and he shrugged nonchalantly. "It will give me a chance to fetch some of today's potion ingredients before everyone is there to rush to the store closet."

Albus shrugged and returned to his book, as did Lysander. "I'll be down soon, once I finish this chapter."

Rose smiled. "Shall we, then?" and gestured for him to lead the way.

The pair felt the weight of many pairs of eyes upon them as they left the Great Hall, just as Al had predicted. Things had just started to go back to normal after the attack, with respect to Rose's relationship with the rest of the student body. She mentally prepared herself for more whispers that immediately grew quiet when she entered a room, more stares between classes, more snide comments from Delilah Macnair and more puzzling ones from Gregory Ollivander. Secretly she wondered how Charlie would take the news that their accidental date had been leaked to Rita Skeeter. It hadn't been accidental for him, after all, which would make it all the more awkward for him, and so she resolved to broach the subject during Potions today.

They headed down to the dungeons in companionable silence until Scorpius spoke.

"I'm sorry, Rose," he said quietly, interrupting her thoughts. "If I ever meet this Skeeter woman, I'll be sure to curse her with the head of a pig and give her a tail to match."

"Clearly you lack originality," she teased. "I'm certain that's been done before."

He grinned at her. "Then what would you have me do, m'lady? Whatever it is, I shall see it done."

"Why, I'd have you curse that foul tongue of hers, of course, and her quill to match. She would never be able to publish a story or book again."

Scorpius shook his head. "Too easily undone. The Healers at St. Mungo's have seen far worse, I'm sure."

"Well, my mother once told me that Rita Skeeter is an unregistered Animagus. She turns into a beetle, of all things, which is how she gathers her information. Since then I've made sure to swat at every bug I see," Rose said darkly. "I'm sure there must be some sort of spell or potion that could make her stay that way. And it would be impossible for the Healers to sort her out from every other beetle in the world, even if no one steps on her."

"You really have thought this out, then."

Rose sighed. "A girl can dream, can't she?" After a pause, she added, "And thank you."

"Anything for you, Rose. You must know that by now."

She glanced up at her companion's face, at the deep grey-blue eyes which sought hers. She nearly had to crane her neck to see them – he was much taller than her now, and still getting taller. It struck her how much they had both changed over the years of their friendship. Her hair was still as red as it had always been, though her curls had become more sleek, less like her mother's and brother's bushy manes. She had developed curves as well, though Rose still thought that she was rather flat-chested for her age (though it didn't bother her a good deal), and had taken to wearing a bit of makeup and rose-scented perfume. Scorpius had grown more muscular, though he possessed the long and lean figure of a Keeper rather than a bulky Beater's form, and he'd stopped using quite as much hair gel as he had when they were kids. His eyes and smile hadn't changed a bit, however, and she hoped they never would. She had grown to be better judge of character than her eleven year-old self, and better at comforting of those she cared for. He'd become more confident in himself, more affectionate, more open with his emotions, and yet he was still the same boy she'd wanted to get to know better when they first met on the Hogwarts Express. It was nice to know that however much had changed, some things stayed the same.

Of course, not all things should remain stagnant, not forever. The difficulty lay in sorting out what could and should be different, and what should be allowed to remain constant. In the course of altering some things, others might break or bend – that was the risk one always took with change.

Rose reflected that their current relationship was, in many ways, effortless. No aspects of their personalities had ever clashed terribly, they didn't quarrel or bicker, and yet there was never a dull or dreary moment between them. It felt like their personalities had always suited each other. She knew that must not be entirely true, of course, but she couldn't remember when exactly it had happened. When they'd met on the Hogwarts Express, they'd gotten on well enough, but there was an unspoken tension between them: it wasn't easy, making small talk with the child of your father's enemy. That night she'd been locked out of Ravenclaw tower, when he'd let her in… maybe that was when it had first happened, the first moment in which they'd truly connected with one another, though she couldn't be sure. Now, years later, it was obvious how important they'd become in each other's lives. Rose was the first to hear about his mother's illness, the first Hogwarts friend he'd invited to his home, the first person he told whenever he got top marks or heard a witty joke. She'd held his hand as he cried over his mother's casket. And they had saved one another's lives in the Forbidden Forest, without a moment's hesitation to consider what it might cost to do so.

Yes, she couldn't remember the exact moment they had become inseparable. It probably hadn't happened in one precise moment, though – the things that are most important to us often take the most time to build. And she also couldn't remember when she first thought of his beautiful smile as being hers, but maybe that had been a process too. Maybe this feeling she had was something they had been building towards for a while now, and she was only just now realizing where they were headed. Maybe if she reached out to hold his hand, it would feel just as natural as it did to tease him, or comfort him (though it had taken a while for Rose to feel comfortable comforting anyone), or helping him with his Potions homework.

Then again, she reasoned, even if it did feel as natural as she suspected it would, maybe it wouldn't feel as natural to Scorpius as it would to her. She had no idea what was going on in his head. He had never dated, but then again neither had Albus, or Hugo. Maybe he just wasn't particularly interested in anyone, or in dating itself. Someone wise had once said that it was better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all, but her own opinion differed slightly: she believed the answer depended on what exactly one would be losing. There were numerous people whom she honestly couldn't imagine her life without, and Scorpius was one of them. Rose didn't know whether she was willing to take that wager, to risk losing him completely, even if it meant she might be happier in the end. When so much of her life was in an upheaval after the attacks on her family, when even her own moods sometimes caught her unawares, making her angry one moment and tearful the next, she needed to have at least one person she knew she could depend on (who she wasn't related to). Andy was there too, of course, but Rose had never shared the same level of trust with the Muggleborn as she had with Scorpius.

And so Rose kept her hand and her thoughts to herself, and they soon reached the Potions classroom, where Professor Rosier waited. He thrust the goblet he held into Rose's hands as soon as she entered. "Drink up," he said, "it'll grow cold soon, and it doesn't much improve the taste."

Taking the cup from him with one hand and holding her nose with the other, she swallowed the potion in one long gulp.

Scorpius snickered behind her, and Rose shot him a half-hearted glare as she tipped the last few drops of antidote into her mouth. Once she had drained the glass, she half-shoved it back into the professor's hands while scrambling to pull a small bit of licorice out of her bag. She sighed in relief as the potion's bitterness was slowly replaced by the flavor of her favorite sweet.

Professor Rosier gave Rose one of his rare grins. "They're still your favorite, then?"

Rose swallowed the rest of the candy. "They're the only thing with a strong enough taste."

"I'm disappointed in you, Miss Weasley. There are many potion ingredients that would accomplish the task. Cinnamon, for example, or ginger, or even lemongrass."

"But you told me you wouldn't tamper with the recipe, professor," Rose said confusedly. "You said it was too important to be experimented on."

"Ah, yes, I did. We cannot afford anything to go the least bit awry with this potion, not unless you'd like to return to the Hospital Wing. But those ingredients could be consumed on their own, afterward, and would produce the same effect without the need for further modification to the brew."

"With all due respect, sir, I don't see how that's any different than consuming licorice, and I've never much cared for cinnamon."

"And ginger?" he asked.

"Reminds me too much of the tea Mum gives me when I have a stomachache."

"Lemongrass?"

"Tastes like hand lotion."

The professor smiled again. "It sounds as if you've thought this out, then."

"I considered adding one of them to the antidote I want to brew and have you look at next week. Of course, I never considered consuming the raw ingredients; that's a trick I'll have to save."

"And what recipe modifications would one need to make to consider adding ginger to your antidote, Miss Weasley?"

"You'd need to add two more Wiggentree twigs and let it simmer for five additional minutes," Rose said distractedly as she noticed the pleasant aroma being released in spiral-shaped clouds of steam, which came from a cauldron perched on a desk toward the front of the room. Scorpius was already leaning over it. "Is that Amortentia?" she asked as she wandered closer to the cauldron. She stood next to Scorpius and inhaled deeply, but for a moment she wondered whether the potion had ceased to have an effect on her – all Rose could smell was the clean, spicy scent of Scorpius' customary cologne. Her confusion cleared after a moment, however, as she began to catch other odors: old parchment and black licorice.

Rose tried desperately to keep a straight face as she peeked at Scorpius from the corner of her eye. She saw him glancing at her slyly in the same manner, and quickly turned her gaze back to the shimmering liquid in the cauldron.

"Good eye, Miss Weasley," said Professor Rosier. "I thought it best to give you all a break from your O.W.L. studies today in order to expose you to some more advanced material. There will be no homework, of course, just a friendly in-class competition, which I will explain when the rest of the students arrive. As you surely know, the aroma of Amortentia varies from person to person, depending on what each finds the most attractive."

Albus and a few others entered the classroom as he spoke, and the professor left Rose and Scorpius to escort the others to various tables, all of which appeared to have different potions on them. Albus was assigned to their desk, and he absentmindedly came to stand between them. He took a deep sniff of the Amortentia and sighed. "Ah, that's nice: ocean water, strong tea, and the sky after it's rained. I'm curious, what do you lot smell?"

Rose blushed deeply and looked away from her cousin. "Licorice, old parchment, and … cologne."

She could hear the smirk in her cousin's voice. "Would that be Gregory Ollivander's cologne, perchance?"

"Shove off," she replied quietly, though her cousin doubtlessly took this as a yes.

"And you, Scorpius?"

He sounded distinctly uncomfortable as he answered with an unsteady voice: "Burning leaves, lemon rinds, and … flowers."

Rose looked at him sharply. He was staring intently into the cauldron, at the glimmering liquid with its mother of pearl sheen, and looked as if he were trying hard to appear cool, calm, and collected.

Neither talked much during the rest of the lesson, as each competed to win a dose of Felix Felicis that Professor Rosier had brewed. Rose won, to no one's surprise. Professor Rosier had clearly anticipated the outcome as well, and had apparently thought the odds rather unfair against the rest of the class, as he also awarded a small amount to the runner up, Maeve Macmillan. As Rose pocketed her potion, she heard it clink against the glass of the vials she'd kept in her robes since last year. She hoped she'd never have need of it for anything more serious than a landing a job or dealing with some bit of family drama, though that seemed to become increasingly unlikely with each passing year and attack.

Rose once again glanced at Scorpius as the trio left the classroom, and saw him doing the same. Their eyes met for a brief moment over Al's head before both looked away, blushing profusely. As they journeyed up the stairs toward Ancient Runes, Rose wondered if (and maybe even hoped) those flowers had been roses.


	29. Chapter 29

Sorry this chapter has been so long in the making, but here it is! I hope you like it, and it's nice and long (by my usual standards)! As always, reviews, favorites, follows and PMs are all encouraged and adored - your lovely notifications make my day

I'd like to give a shout out to one of my good friends who provided the translation you'll see in this chapter - she is my lovely self-proclaimed "Latin Lackey," and a Classics major to boot! :) 3 Love you sweetheart

Oh, and by definition, **broke** college students do not own _Harry Potter_ \- many thanks to J.K. Rowling for her fantastic work

Well, I think that covers all of the author-ly things. Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 29**

 **Fifth Year, Part Five**

The holidays soon arrived, bringing with them a sense of relief for the trio. This had been the most academically strenuous year for them by far, and though they enjoyed the challenge their classes presented, it was nice to have a bit of a break from their studies. Of course, there was also a brief anxiety at their parting, as there always was. Still, Rose trusted she would keep in touch with Albus and Scorpius, and of course they had arrangements to see one another before returning to Hogwarts: Albus would be visiting Malfoy Manor for the first time, and Rose planned to accompany him. It was an exciting prospect, though she worried that having both a Potter and a Weasley under his roof would be too much for Lucius Malfoy to bear quietly. Knowing her special circumstances (it seemed the pureblood information network was still alive and thriving), Draco had invited Andy to join them as well, though the Muggleborn had politely declined; instead, she intended to visit with a Muggle friend she'd grown up with, on the condition that the friend was not informed of anything concerning the magical world.

Rose had to survive the annual Weasley family Christmas celebration before she could visit the Malfoys, however, and at the moment she wasn't entirely sure she would. She ducked as James, Fred, and Roxanne soared overhead on broomsticks, pelting the sitting room's occupants with Silver Sparking Snakes and Super Wizard Crackers. One snake shot a silver fountain of small flames dangerously close to her head, and she shuddered to think of what would have happened if they'd landed in her hair. Alexander Inglebee, Molly's long-time boyfriend and a Beater on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, caught a falling cracker as he entered the room just as the troublesome trio flew out. He'd promised Molly he'd try to get to know her family better, though he was almost as shy as she was, and as a result had convinced his parents to let him spend Christmas at the Burrow; in return, she would be joining him in Devon for Easter. Sitting down next to Molly on the couch he offered her one end of the cracker he held, which she accepted; the two pulled, and a small pile of peppermints appeared with a loud popping noise. Molly giggled as she tossed several of the sweets to Rose an Albus from across the room. The pair deftly plucked them from the air (as is to be expected of a Chaser and a Seeker) before turning to resume their observation of Hugo and his father playing Wizard's Chess. It would be a close match, and Rose was proud of her brother's skill with the game; he'd worked hard to hone his natural talent, and it had been many years since Ron had stopped feeling the need to let his son win. Roxanne, who also loved Wizard's Chess and had managed to beat Hugo in Hogwarts' school-wide competition twice, was meant to play the winner. She seemed quite content to cause mayhem in the meantime, though. Rose heard something shatter from the next room and began to count down under her breath. "Five, four, three, two…"

"HAVEN'T I TOLD YOU A THOUSAND TIMES BEFORE NOT TO RIDE BROOMSTICKS IN THE HOUSE?!" the elder Molly Weasley thundered from the kitchen.

"Sorry Nana," chorused the three troublemakers. Rose was surprised there wasn't a fourth voice to join them – what was Teddy up to that ranked above mischief? She supposed that this might just be a product of growing older. Not everything could stay the way it always had been; people changed. This line of thinking suddenly made her appreciate the antics of James, Fred, and Roxanne just a little bit more. Though she wished their pranks didn't threaten her wellbeing quite as often as they did, it was impossible to envision family gatherings without the commotion they created.

After watching her father narrowly beat her brother in Wizard's Chess, Rose wandered upstairs, planning to start a letter to Scorpius before Christmas dinner was served. She opened the door to Aunt Ginny's old room, which she, Molly, and Dominique shared when they all came to visit the Burrow. Rose instantly recoiled in surprise at what she saw: Dom snogging Lisa McLaggen. She hadn't even known Lisa would be spending the holiday with them. Had Rita Skeeter been right about their relationship, too? Rose hastily averted her eyes to give her cousin privacy and quietly shut the door, hoping her entrance hadn't been noticed.

It seemed romance was everywhere today. Albus caught up to her on the landing before she made it the rest of the way back downstairs. "Rose, can I ask for your advice?"

"Of course, Al," she said, curious.

"I need help…asking a girl out."

"If you say Mary Parker or Delilah Macnair-"

"Merlin, no! Kristina Goyle."

"Goyle?" Rose asked incredulously. "That Slytherin girl a year below us?"

"I don't see what that's got to do with anything."

"But-" she started, but Albus interrupted her.

"So is Roxanne," he answered quietly. And he had certainly her there; Roxanne was also a year below them, and she was a Slytherin, though that was beside the point.

"Roxanne is different."

"Why, because she isn't the daughter of someone who fought against our parents in the War? What about Scorpius, then?"

"Al, is there a reason you're so determined to pick a fight with me? I was going to say that Kristina seems a bit slow for you. She's a good Quidditch player, but from what I know she isn't particularly bright."

Albus' tense expression relaxed into an easy grin. "Let's be honest Rose, I'm smart enough for both of us."

"Except apparently when it comes to asking a girl out. Why did you think I'd be able to help you?"

He looked down at her as if she had no common sense. "Because you're a girl. You know what girls like."

Rose resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Girls aren't all the same, you know. Not all of us like flowers, or chocolates, or whatever else is supposed to be romantic. If you really like Kristina, you should talk to her, try to get to know her better."

He reached down to ruffle her hair. "Thanks, Rose. You're so helpful. 'Ask Kristina what she likes,' why didn't I think of that?"

She smacked his arm. "That better not be sarcasm, or we will have words, Potter."

Rose saw him grin before he turned around to head back downstairs, his long legs taking the steps two at a time.

Following him down to the kitchen, she saw that dinner was almost ready to be served. Andrea was helping Nana Weasley, Fleur, Angelina, Audrey, and a few of the other adults put the finishing touches on a few dishes; she caught Rose's eye and smiled happily. The girl seemed to be reveling in the large, noisy, love-filled Weasley affair. Rose thought about what holidays with Andy's family must have been like, and suppressed a shudder. She was glad that road was long behind her friend.

Rose followed the steady stream of people heading outdoors to where a long table had been erected. Sweat beaded on her forehead – clearly Grandpa Weasley had been overzealous with the Warming Charm this year. Taking off her jumper, she sat down between Albus and Molly, and across the table from Hugo. Just as they had every year, Nana Weasley and her helpers paraded out of the kitchen, countless platters and bowls hovering in front of them. Because she was underage, Andy had been given her own dish to carry out to the table rather than levitate – a tall Christmas pudding that looked delicious. All talk fell into respectful silence. When the chefs finally reached the table, all the platters and bowls simultaneously landed on its hard wooden surface with a thump, and Nana took her place at the head of the table with Grandpa to deliver their annual speech. "Thank you all for joining us for another holiday, dears. Arthur and I love you all dearly, as you already know of course, even though some of you make a habit of breaking family heirlooms," she cast a pointed glance at Roxanne, James, and Fred. "It's been a pleasure to see this family grow, year after year," and here she gave Andy a doting smile. "So, without further ado-"

"Acutally, Nana, if you don't mind, we'd like to add a little ado," interrupted Teddy as he and Victoire stood from their seats next to her. "I know you're all starving, so I'll make this quick: Victoire and I wanted to tell everyone we love, while they're all under one roof (hypothetically speaking of course), that we're engaged to be married."

A wordless cry of delight arose from all the table's occupants. Molly Weasley's Christmas feast was momentarily forgotten as the Weasley clan rushed forward as one to congratulate the happy couple. There were many hugs, many toasts, and many tears of joy. Rose fought her way through the crowd, enduring the smothering heat long enough to embrace Teddy and Victoire before making her way back to the edge of the orchard. She shivered as she stepped out of the protective bubble of the Warming Charm, putting her jumper back on and pulling it tightly around herself. Though she loved her family and couldn't be happier for Teddy and Victoire (they just seemed so **right** together), she currently found herself wanting a bit of space. Some small part of her was upset by the news, but she couldn't begin to fathom why.

Andy spotted her and joined her under the tree. "Ah, there you are." Her voice sounded a bit slurred, and the scent of spiced rum slid from her lips when she spoke and breathed. This was worrisome - Rose had hoped her friend's drinking days had ended when she'd been rescued from her abusive father, at least until she came of age, but clearly they had not. "I have a question for you."

"If you need relationship advice, please, spare me," Rose said in a harsher tone than she'd intended. "Snogging isn't really my forte, anyway, you should go ask Dom. Or maybe Molly. Bloody hell, even Albus may have a better idea of what it's like, I don't know." What was going on with her? What she was feeling didn't make any logical sense. She should be with her family right now, with Teddy and Victoire. She looked over at the clump of people across the lawn and saw the happy couple holding hands as they threaded their way through the well-wishers. The radiant warmth of their affection for one another was as obvious to everyone in their presence as a brightly shining sun. Yes, that was where she belonged, not sitting under a tree… sulking? Was she sulking? Rose wasn't sure; to the best of her knowledge, she had never sulked before. The part of her that was unaffected shied away from the feeling.

"After a moment, she corrected herself in a quiet tone. "I'm sorry, that wasn't fair of me. I don't know where it came from I just… I think I need some space."

"Oh come on Rose, you know exactly where that came from. You're bitter about Scorpius and Tara Abney."

Rose's eyes widened as she raised her gaze to meet her friend's. "What? What about Scorpius and Tara?"

"Hasn't he told you? Tara asked him to Hogsmeade just before we left for the holidays."

Rose's heart felt as if it were a caged bird, pounding against her chest in a desperate attempt to free itself from the words she was hearing. "And he said yes?"

"Everyone I've spoken with thinks so," Andy replied. "You two talk every bloody day, he really hasn't mentioned it?"

She shook her head, too afraid her voice would fail her to speak.

Andy stepped closer and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Well, I'm sorry then. Of course, maybe he just thinks you wouldn't care. I would, if I were him."

Rose stepped back, away from her friend's grip. "He knows I care about him," she said in a wavering tone.

"Sure he does, but not like that. Not the way that Tara Abney cares about him. You've never given him any hint, even though we both know you do. Of course he would say yes to her, he probably doesn't think he has a chance with you. Hell, I'm not even sure he does – you're too scared to do anything about it."

"Andy, stop, this isn't you. You're being cruel."

Andy laughed bitterly. "No, my father was cruel. I'm being realistic. You've been silently pining after Scorpius for years, whether you realized it or not, and now that he might be seeing another girl you suddenly think about making a move?"

Rose began to grow angry. "That's not what I meant. Of course I wouldn't say anything, not if he's h-happy with Tara." She choked on the words a bit, but she managed to force them out, even though doing so made her feel ill.

Andrea laughed again, cold and humorless. "Whatever you say, Rosie."

"Don't call me that," Rose snapped. "Not like this, when you're using it against me." Rose took a step closer to her friend. "Andy, you're not acting like yourself, you should drink some water-"

Andrea ignored this, interrupting Rose "What, I can't call you Rosie? Because its **his** name for you?"

"You would be just as upset if I started mispronouncing your name like James does to get on your nerves."

Andy scowled. "You don't know anything about me and James."

"I know enough," Rose retorted as she took another step closer. "You keep giving me all this great advice, Ahn-DREY-uh, but you don't seem to be following any of it yourself. Does James know how **you** feel?"

"Don't you dare say anything to him, Rose-" the girl started, beginning to turn her back.

Shocked and upset by her friend's response (how **dare** she think Rose would betray her trust like that!), Rose grabbed her friend's wrist to keep her from turning away. "Andy, you know I wouldn't-"

Rose suddenly found herself sprawled on the ground, which was muddy from the snow that had melted overnight. Her wrist and tailbone throbbed with a sharp pain that hadn't been there a moment ago. Rose's widened eyes met Andy's; for a moment her friend's eyes seemed to be filled with a surprise Rose knew must be in hers as well, before it was replaced by a carefully controlled hardness. Without saying a word or offering a hand, Andrea turned and left Rose sitting on the muddy ground.

She tried to reason out in her mind what had just happened. Clearly neither of them had been in a good place when they had begun the conversation, but still, it had escalated so quickly…and Rose was fairly confident that her own transgressions had not warranted the treatment she'd received.

Sighing, she pushed all thoughts of Andrea to the side, until she could ponder them over in private. Wincing at the pain that flared as she stood, she wondered whether it would be better to ask Dominique or Louis, who were both of age, for a quick healing spell. Eventually, she settled on the former - Dominique was far less likely to tell any of the adults, provided she was given all of the juicy details. After that, Rose resolved to send a letter to Scorpius: he seemed to be the only one lately who didn't demand more from her than she could give. Even if he had agreed to a date with Tara Abney…and she wasn't sure he had.

* * *

Malfoy Manor was always a sight to behold, but never was it more magnificent than when it was decorated for the Christmas holidays. Albus' mouth nearly fell open when he and Rose stepped out of the fireplace and into the drawing room; his bright green eyes were wide as tea saucers as they surveyed the room, taking in the garlands and wreaths, the magical candles whose flames glittered silver and gold, the beautiful ornaments that hovered just above their heads, the elegant icicles that hung from the mantle and doorframes.

Once they had escaped the presence of Mr. Draco Malfoy after giving the required pleasantries, his friends teased him about his awestruck reaction. "I thought you were about to start drooling, Al," Rose ribbed her cousin. "I think you've fallen in love. With this house."

"I agree," Scorpius added mischievously. "Clearly there's only one solution."

"Really? And what is that?" Albus asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Rose caught onto Scorpius' train of thought quickly. "Why, you must marry Scorpius of course, so you can live out the rest of your days here."

"Oh be quiet, the lot of you," Al huffed, crossing the room to plop himself down in the armchair next to Scorpius' bed.

"Just think, Al, one day it could be just you, me, and all of these sparkling chandeliers," Scorpius teased, raising an eyebrow suggestively.

"And the marble floors, and the tapestries, and the lofted ceilings…" Rose continued.

"And the heirlooms!" she and Scorpius exclaimed together, then looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"You're conspiring against me." Albus pointed a finger at them accusingly. "You don't deserve Christmas presents, neither of you."

Rose took a wrapped parcel out of the duffel bag she'd brought with her from home. "Well, I suppose I'll just have to give this to Scorpius then…" and turned to the blonde boy standing next to her.

Al crossed the room again, quickly. "Fine, fine, you caught my bluff. Here." He handed Rose and Scorpius envelopes made of thick parchment.

Rose tossed Al the parcel in her hands (she'd cast an Unbreakable Charm on it earlier, anyway), which he caught easily. With greater care, she handed Scorpius a larger box covered in red and green paper, and was given a book-shaped parcel in return. She opened Albus' first; as she slit the envelope's seal with her fingernail, a delicate silver ring slipped out into her palm. Turning it over, she saw it was emblazoned with the Ravenclaw Crest. Inside it was inscribed 'Argutia supra mensum.' _Wit beyond measure._

She looked over at Scorpius and saw he had received a similar gift, though his ring looked sturdier and seemed to be made out of a copper-colored metal. He began to read the engraved words aloud: "Argu–"

"Don't read the Latin!" she cried, somewhat melodramatically. "Never read the Latin! Haven't you ever seen a horror movie?"

"No," Scorpius replied bluntly.

"Oh, right. Well, I know what we're doing later, then."

"Rose, you're being ridiculous."

"No, I'm being superstitious. There's a difference. We live in a world where we can illuminate the end of magical sticks just by saying a word derived from the Latin root for 'light' – do you really want to give this a try?"

Scorpius was silent, clearly amused at her reaction but unwilling to cross her.

"Anyway, Al, this is beautiful," she continued as if the conversation had never taken place, slipping it onto her right hand.

Albus gestured to the golden ring he wore, which also bore their house's sigil. "I can't take all the credit, Mum and Dad gave me this for my birthday, so I stole their idea."

"Ah, aren't you original," said Rose as she smiled at her cousin.

"I never claimed to be original," he remarked. "Just thoughtful. And mine isn't in Latin."

"Why Latin, then?" Scorpius asked.

Albus merely shrugged. "The old languages have always held a certain magical energy, like Rose pointed out. Like Ancient Runes – Professor Babbling is always talking about their power. Numbers as we know them, which are a language in and of themselves, predate many civilizations – it's said that Ancient Egyptian Muggles devised the base ten system, and wizards of the period discovered the magical potential of base seven. And many spell incantations are in Latin. Who knows, maybe it will help you on the O.W.L.s or something."

Scorpius watched Albus for a moment as he began to open the parcel Rose handed him. When the former was certain that Albus was occupied, he gestured to Rose to open her gift. Malfoy's hesitancy made her curious; why did it matter if Albus was looking their way?

She carefully unwrapped the emerald green paper and found a leather-bound book, its cover her favorite shade of deep purple. "Scorpius, it's gorgeous, but what is it?"

Wordlessly, he pulled a matching tome in midnight blue from his bedside table, and suddenly she understood. She'd told him about the set of journals James had made to keep in touch with Andy; she told him about (nearly) everything, after all.

"I asked James to make them – I thought it best if he did the enchantments, since he's done them before."

Rose looked up from the book she held to thank him, but the look in his eyes stopped the words before they could leave her lips. A kind of spark passed between them, one she couldn't have explained or rationalized even if she'd wanted to. A question rose to her mind: Did that look mean that Scorpius – no, of course not, she corrected herself. She was forgetting about Tara Abney. Though his expression was-

Her thoughts were interrupted by Albus' laughter. He placed the glasses she'd given him on the bridge of his nose as he stood in front of Scorpius' mirror with a wrought iron frame. His head was instantly transformed into that of an old woman, wrinkles standing out prominently against his pale skin and white hair. He took off the glasses and put them back on again, his face briefly returning to its normal form before becoming that of his father, lightning-shaped scar and all. "Albus Potter," he said, imitating his father's voice with surprising accuracy as he scowled, "what have I told you about fighting with your brother? You're driving your mother and I mad. I am a boring, stubborn man who spends all his time working, I can never go anywhere without being asked for an autograph, and my trousers are too tight." He turned to face his cousin without removing the glasses, though his voice sounded like his own again. "Thanks Rose," he beamed. "These are fantastic."

She grinned back at him. "I worked ten transformations into them already, though Transfigurations prodigy that you are, I'm sure you could easily add more, now that the most complicated magic has already been done."

With another grateful nod to Rose, Albus turned back to the other package he held in his hand, his gift from Scorpius. It was shaped like a book, and for one oddly stomach-turning moment she thought Scorpius had given him an enchanted diary as well. She sighed in relief as he revealed the cover – it was an advanced Transfiguration book.

Albus pretended to groan. "Homework, Scorpius? Really?" He dropped the façade and smiled. "Thanks, mate."

All that was left was Rose's present to Scorpius. She swallowed nervously as he began to carefully remove the paper – what if he didn't like it?

His face was confused as he gestured to the unwrapped gift in his hands. "Rosie, it's beautiful…"

"I know you're too kind to say anything, Scor, but I know what you're thinking right now: 'I already have a camera.'"

He smiled at her. "Well, it did cross my mind, yes."

"But you don't have a Muggle one."

"A Muggle camera? What's the difference between a wizard camera and a Muggle one?"

She snorted. "Do you really think Muggles could make a camera **which takes pictures that move**?"

"Touché… Rose, I'm sure I'll love it, you know I love my magical camera, but why?"

"Wizard cameras are great, sure, and you've always taken good pictures with them, but Muggle cameras take more finesse. The images don't move, the story doesn't tell itself – you only have one frame to make something true, and something beautiful. It's more artistic."

"And why do you think I'd be good at something artistic?" he asked.

"Come on, you think I don't notice the doodles you draw in your textbooks when you think no one's looking? Or the way you like to drizzle hot fudge on your ice cream or cake carefully, in perfect, precise little lines before you take a bite? Or the way you stare at beautiful sunsets like you're trying to memorize the colors?..." she trailed off as she realized he was staring at her, with a strange expression on his face that she couldn't identify. "Well, now you don't have to memorize them," she mumbled, turning away from him. She glanced over at Albus, who was studiously avoiding looking at her, pretending to be absorbed in his new Transfiguration book, though he never turned the page. Her gaze flitted back down to something safe – the ring on her finger; the eagle stared up at her accusingly, almost as if it were taunting her. "When you've finished with that roll of film, I'll take you to Muggle London to have it developed. I should go wash up for dinner." With that, she quickly escaped the room.

Out in the hall, she was able to hear shouting from downstairs; it sounded like three people having a go at each other. Rose bit her lip and considered her options. She knew it was morally wrong to eavesdrop… but then again, morality was for Hufflepuffs, and maybe Gryffindors when it suited them. Her house prized knowledge: _Argutia supra mensum_ was man's greatest treasure, not honesty. Usually they were not in direct opposition to each other quite like they were now, but Rose paused only briefly before she crept to the top of the stairs, hoping to hear what was going on below.

Just a few sentences told her everything – indeed, it was more than she had intended or assumed she would hear.

"-you're being unreasonable," said Scorpius' grandmother.

"I don't care!" Lucius Malfoy snarled in return. "I will not remain in this house while blood traitors corrupt my grandson-"

"Then leave!" responded Draco furiously, in the tone of a man who after a long battle had finally lost his temper. "Rose Weasley and Albus Potter have been good to my son, especially after his mother's death, and they will always be welcome wherever my son and I call home. If you cared for your grandson, you wouldn't make him choose between his friends and his grandfather."

"I'll pack my bags, then," the elder Mr. Malfoy replied coolly. "Narcissa?" There was a pause. "Very well. I will be out by the morning. I refuse to share my home with the likes of a Potter and a Weasley, even if it means being spurned by my son and wife."

Rose had to strain to hear Draco Malfoy's last words. "Father, you must admit, it's a bit ironic – you refuse to share the Manor with blood traitors, but if Scorpius continues to look at the Weasley girl the way he has been of late, and if she returns his affections, you may eventually be forced to share your precious last name with one."

Rose omitted that last statement when she recounted the story to Scorpius later that evening.


	30. Chapter 30

Hey everyone! Sorry again for the delay updating - I've been at my aunts cabin, in the land of no WiFi.

Emerald Sea Lion: My two favorite fics that are currently being updated are _To Be a Slytherin_ by Morgana Deryn and _Roses are Red_ by Appello. I'd definitely recommend that you (or anyone else interested in HP fanfics, for that matter) check them out!

Without further ado, I hope you enjoy the last chapter of fifth year! Part one of sixth year will be updated in the near future. This isn't the longest chapter I've ever written, though I think you'll forgive me once you've read it...

* * *

 **Chapter 30**

 **Fifth Year, Part Six**

The next few months passed more quickly than Rose had thought possible. All at once it seemed as if the end of the year, and with it the O.W.L.s, were bearing down upon her. True to form, she spent most of her free time after the holidays in the library, reviewing old texts to ensure she had a good grip on the basics while keeping up with the new work in all her classes. Al and Scorpius joined her most of the time, though neither had become quite as fanatical as she had. It was only February, but between Quidditch practices for their game later in the month, Prefect duties, and her nearly endless studying, Rose was already exhausted. A deep weariness seemed to have settled in her bones, one that didn't leave no matter how many hours of sleep she managed to get each night. Still, it was easier to think about her studies than certain other things, or people.

"Can I see that Defense book, when you're done with it?"

Rose looked up from the page she was reading to meet Roxanne's gaze. "Here," she said, sliding it across the library table to her younger cousin. "I'm done with it for now. I've been over counter-curses half a dozen times already."

"Then maybe you should stop studying," Roxanne suggested bluntly.

"We all should take a break," added Lucy, trying to keep the peace. "The Hogsmeade trip is today, why don't we go together?" She gestured to all those around the table: herself, Roxanne, Hugo, Lorcan, and Lysander.

Rose shook her head in reply. "You all go on ahead if you want. I should stay here, get some work done."

Hugo snorted and got to his feet. "All you've **done** is work. Fresh air won't kill you, I promise. You need to take care of yourself, Rose. Now will you come with us willingly, or do I have to drag you?"

She raised an eyebrow. "You can try."

"Is there a reason you don't want to go to Hogsmeade today?" Roxanne interjected.

Rose looked down, unable to meet the Slytherin girl's dark eyes. "Just go on without me, okay? I promise I'll take a break, I'll find someone to play wizard's chess with, or something-"

"There you are!" Albus jogged down the aisle toward their table, with Molly in tow. "I've been looking everywhere for you!" He was slightly out of breath.

"Why did you think I'd be anywhere else?"

"Hmm, I dunno, maybe because the Hogsmeade trip is today?"

"And you have a **date** to Hogsmeade. Or have you forgotten about poor Kristina Goyle already?"

"No, I haven't forgotten. I'd imagine she's waiting for me at Madame Puddifoot's now."

"Then why aren't **you** in the Madame Puddifoot's, Al? And Molly, why aren't you with Alexander?"

Molly shrugged and looked down uncomfortably at her shoes. Rose sincerely hoped she and her boyfriend hadn't broken up. They had been good for one another.

Albus squared his shoulders as the rest of the table's occupants looked on curiously. "Because this is more important."

"What in Rowena's name are you talking about?" Rose asked

"Why didn't you meet us in Ravenclaw Tower?" he countered. "I thought you, Scorpius, and I were going to walk to Hogsmeade together, like we always do."

She sighed. "You wouldn't understand-"

"Rose, you need to tell him."

Shock coursed through her. "You…you know?"

Molly was staring at her. Rose met her gaze for a moment. Albus cleared his throat impatiently, forcing Rose to shift her focus back to him, though Molly continued to look at Rose strangely. "Of course I know. I've known all along. Now if you'd just come with me," he said as he attempted to drag Rose out of her chair.

She resisted. "But I haven't felt this way all along."

Albus gave up trying to move her, at least for the moment. "I know. But I watched it happen. Honestly, did you think I could be that oblivious? I might be hopeless when it comes to reading most people, but never when it comes to you, Rose."

"Then why pretend?" she retorted.

"I was trying to make you see that you should be together. I wanted you to feel like you came to it on your own, but clearly I underestimated your stubbornness."

Bitterness filled her. "Yes, well, here we are. I'm in the library, studying like a good little Ravenclaw, and he's going to Hogsmeade with Tara Abney."

"He's not going to Hogsmeade with Tara Abney – did you even ask him, or did you just assume he said yes to her?"

"What does it matter, Al?" she snapped.

"It matters because he's looking for you. Right now. He's gone ahead to Hogsmeade, he thought you'd left without us. It's Valentine's Day, and he was going to-"

"To what? To tell me he fancies me? Oh don't act so surprised, of course I know," she continued as Albus' mouth nearly fell open. "I overheard Mr. Malfoy say as much at the Manor, and there were other clues before then."

"But if you know, and you feel the same way," Roxanne interrupted, "then why-"

"Because I **don't** feel the same way."

Everyone at the table began to talk at once, except for Molly, who remained silent as she stared down at the floor beneath her, looking as if she wanted to disappear. Rose held up her hand to silence them. "He fancies me," she said, once they had all grown quiet. "And I… I love him." Rose turned to face Albus; she saw Molly turn to stare again, but ignored her. "Do you see why I'm hiding here, Al? Are you happy now? Fine, I admit it: I love Scorpius Malfoy. I love the way he can make me laugh about any stupid little thing, even when I'm about to cry. I love how strong he is when he needs to be, when he's using defensive magic, or when we're playing Quidditch…and how careful and gentle he can be, with his words, or when he's holding his camera. I love the serious look he gets in his beautiful, blue-grey eyes when he's focused on something he cares about, and how they light up when he's happy, truly happy. Merlin, I even love the smell of his cologne – I smelled it in the Amortentia, you know, that day in class. And his smile… I was only able to cast my first Patronus when I thought of his smile. Nothing else worked, but his smile…"

Rose looked up and saw that all of them were staring at her. Most seemed happy. Molly appeared as if she'd been Stupified.

Albus seemed the least surprised out of all of them. "And how do you know he doesn't feel the same way, Rose?" he asked.

She bit her lip. "How could he feel the same way? We've never gone on a date, never kissed, never done anything outside the realm of friendship. Love isn't supposed to just **happen** like this – it's supposed to take time. I'm not quite sure how it happened to me. And how would you know, if he did?"

"I know for a fact that he does; I saw it grow, just like I saw it in you. But I also know you won't believe me, and so I suppose you'll just have to hear it from him."

She slowly rose from her chair. "Albus Potter, I swear, if you breathe a word of this to Scorpius-"

He grinned, and in that moment he looked so much like James it was scary. "Oh, but I don't need to. You already have."

"I – what?"

Albus gestured to Molly. The girl reached up to her face, like she was pulling off an invisible pair of glasses…

And suddenly, Scorpius was standing in front of her. He held the Transfiguration glasses Rose had given Albus for Christmas; now that they had been removed, they had once again become visible.

She opened her mouth to say something – she wasn't quite sure what, exactly, for once she found herself unable to think that far in advance... but the look in his eyes stopped her. They weren't angry, or upset, but they were filled with a mixture of surprise and warmth.

Albus nudged his friend. Like a man waking from a dream, Scorpius crossed the distance between himself and Rose until they were nearly touching. He looked down at her, his blue-grey eyes still burning with intensity. All at once, she forgot that they weren't alone, she forgot they were in a library– in a moment, the world was reduced to Scorpius' eyes, his face, and the space between her body and his own.

His expression lit up into a smile. It was the radiant, child-like smile that she loved, the one that made his angular features warm and endearing, the one that made his nose wrinkle adorably and cheeks dimple, the one she'd come to think of as _hers_. He reached out to gently stroke her cheek with his callused hand. "I thought of you when I cast my first Patronus, too," he said simply. "Mum had died, and I felt like the world was falling to pieces…but you were always there, holding me together. You were the reason I got out of bed every morning. Your kindness, your strength, your intelligence, your bravery, your laugh. Your hair," he said teasingly, tugging at a lock of her hair that had fallen into her face. His voice grew serious once more as he said, "I love everything about you, Rose Weasley."

He leaned forward. She stood on her toes, looping her arms around the nape of his neck. His hands reached for her waist.

Their lips met.

The first kiss was sweet, as far as kisses go, filled with unspoken words of affection that had gone unsaid between them for far too long. Their lips moved slowly, carefully, as they savored every moment they spent in one another's arms. Scorpius' mouth was warm and soft against hers, his hands on her waist gentle as they pulled her body closer to his. She felt the beating of his heart in his chest, fast and strong and full of life. One of his hands rose to cup her cheek, fingers lightly tracing the curves of her face as if committing them to memory. She used her hold on his neck as leverage to pull his mouth closer to hers as she strained to stand higher on the tips of her toes. His lips curled into a smile at this; no doubt he would make a few jokes about her height later – though a great deal was about to change in their relationship after this encounter, Rose knew that the ease with which they spoke to and teased one another would always remain the same.

Rose didn't see fireworks, like stories of her cousins' exploits had led her to believe she would. There was heat, but it burned softly across her skin, like the slow but inexorable spread of a wildfire lit from a single match, gradually becoming hotter as it grew in intensity. It moved through her veins like the molten fire of the Earth's core, rather than the cheap bangs and flashes of new years celebrations. Fireworks were passionate and instantaneous, dazzling but ultimately fleeting. But this…this kind of fire had the power to move continents, to reshape the land above it, leaving the world's foundations forever altered. Rose felt something change in that moment as her lips moved with Scorpius', and she knew that from then on, neither of them would be quite the same. Both of their lives had been re-formed in the heat of their embrace, welding them together in a way that no physical distance could ever bend or break.

When they finally withdrew to catch their breath (a feat that required much strength of will), they looked around and saw that their companions had left the library long ago.

"Rosie," Scorpius whispered, his warm breath washing over her. The sound of her nickname on his lips sending pleasant chills down her spine. "Rosie, I love you."

There was no need for hesitation as she replied, "And I love you, Scor."

They resumed the kiss, and once again the rest of the world fell away.

Eventually, after what seemed like a happy eternity to the couple, they ended their embrace long enough to make the trek to Hogsmeade. Rose noted with pleased curiosity that she no longer found the romantic atmosphere in Madame Pudifoot's tea shop to be comedic or nauseating, as she had last year on her outing with Charlie McLeod. Instead, she and Scorpius talked for hours on end, so that by the time they ran back to the castle in order to make curfew, there were no secrets left between them.

* * *

Rose wouldn't have thought it possible, but somehow she and Scorpius managed to spend even more of their time together throughout the rest of the term; it helped that they had the same schedules, were both on Ravenclaw Quidditch team, and were both Prefects, of course. They ate together, played Quidditch together, spent their (little) free time together, patrolled together, and studied together. Every night, they stayed up as late as they dared while snuggled on the love seat in front of their common room's fireplace, their conversations ranging from lighthearted to intimate. The pair also elected to stay at Hogwarts over Easter together (under the guise of studying for the O.W.L.s, as neither wanted to inform their families back home of this development in their relationship just yet).

There was comparatively little awkwardness in the pair's transition from friendship to romance; at times, Rose felt that being with Scorpius was as easy as breathing. Still, the pair knew that like all things worth having, this would take time and effort for them to build, and there were bound to be bumps in the road. It helped that they already knew each other so well, and that each had acknowledged to the other the depth of their emotions – it prevented the usual game of "define the relationship" from being played. In light of this, Rose realized that in some ways they had been in a transitory state for quite a while now, an odd sort of in-between that had made their union seem only a matter of time to those around them. Rose was simply glad that Albus had intervened, though she would never admit it to him, of course. She trusted that she and Scorpius would taken this next step on their own, eventually, but his efforts had brought them together earlier than they might have otherwise. If the attacks on their family (or her parents' stories of their dangerous adventures, for that matter) had taught Rose anything, it was that life was always shorter than one would expect, and every moment mattered.

Of course, not all their time together was spent alone. There was always Albus - though he gave Rose and Scorpius the space they needed, they were still his closest friends, and as such held a reasonable claim on their attention. Any bit of reluctance Rose's family at Hogwarts might have held in truly accepting Scorpius into the fold melted away once news of the scene in the library had spread; due to this, he was made to spend even more time with the Potter-Weasley clan than Andrea Sterling had (though this was also due to the Gryffindor girl's avoidance of Rose, which persisted throughout the year). The oak tree by the edge of the Black Lake became the group's meeting spot of choice, once the weather had grown warm enough to permit it. Rose, Scorpius, and Albus all still held fond memories of their first year, when they'd written letters to their families under its branches, worrying their Sorting into Ravenclaw would upset those they loved.

Scorpius gently tried to persuade Rose to celebrate her birthday with her friends and family, though ultimately his efforts were in vain. Once she pointed out that he had never been made to have a party for his own birthday (November 3rd), he caved to her demands - on the condition that he was allowed to celebrate with her in secret. Albus and the others protested, of course, but to no avail. In the days leading up to the event, Rose worried that Al would try to pull something, like he had in previous years. Though he liked to profess he was nothing like his brother James, Rose knew better. Beyond their similarly dark and messy hair, the two had several character traits in common: they both liked to banter, especially with one another; they both saw the best in people, even when the person in question didn't want to be seen; and they had the same sense of humor…which meant they both loved to pull pranks. Though Albus didn't live his life by it in the same way as James, Fred, and Roxanne did (he'd much rather study in the library than throw Dungbombs from the tops of the stacks like the other three were ought to do), her past two birthdays (as well as other moments scattered throughout the years) had proven to her over and over again that his fondness for practical jokes was not to be underestimated. This was in stark contrast to her own nature, of course – the only prank she'd ever pulled had been when she switched around Al's potion ingredients, and that had been necessary to teach him a lesson. Her fears were not actualized in this case, however; she suspected this was due to some intervention on Scorpius' part, for which she was extremely grateful; instead of dodging her cousin, she was able to enjoy the day privately with her new boyfriend.

The school year ended far too soon for Rose's or Scorpius' liking, the remaining time passing in what felt like one very short blur. Gryffindor won the Quidditch Cup, after narrowly beating Ravenclaw in their match that spring. In a rather large upset, Hufflepuff managed to snatch the House Cup, thanks in part to their victory in the school-wide chess competition (Roxanne and Hugo had been forced to drop out, as they had detention for some scheme or other). Louis and Isabella Spinnet carried out their roles of Head Boy and Girl dutifully, and Molly graduated with them; all three did very well on their N.E.W.T.s. In September, Louis would begin his internship in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, and Molly would begin training in the Department of Mysteries, of all places. The trio wished them all the best, of course, and watched proudly as they and the rest of the graduating seventh years sailed across the Black Lake with Hagrid one final time. Rose was amused at how quickly her family was taking over the Ministry of Magic, particularly after her parents' and Uncle Harry's rocky relationship (and that was putting it mildly) with them during their fight against You Know Who: her mother had recently been named Minister for Magic (they were planning on celebrating when she got back home), and there was at least one Weasley in nearly every department of their governing body. Times had very obviously changed.

On the return trip to Kings' Cross, the trio shared a compartment with Hugo, Lily, and Lucy. While the two Gryffindors and the Hufflepuff chatted about Quidditch, the end of classes, and their summer plans, the three Ravenclaws remained largely silent. Scorpius sat with his arm around Rose, who angled her body sideways so that her back rested against his chest and her knees were bent up on the seat in front of her, with _Lord of the Flies_ resting across them. He seemed content to spend his time playing with Rose's red curls, watching the countryside pass by as the shadows of night slowly crept upon them. Albus only looked up from his book on Alchemy once during their time on the train, just long enough for him to spy his two closest friends and mutter good-naturedly about this most recent public display of affection.

When the sun had almost set, Scorpius tugged a bit of Rose's hair gently to get her attention. "We should probably change out of our robes." Once she had straightened up, freeing him to move, he grabbed the knapsack he'd stashed in the luggage rack, which contained his clothes, his Muggle camera, and a few other odds and ends. "Also, can I borrow that when you're done? I haven't had a chance to read a Muggle book in months, and I have a good deal of catching up to do now that the O.W.L.s are over."

She smiled. "Of course. But in the meantime, I have another book for you to read." From her bag she pulled out a very worn and obviously well-loved copy of _Pride and Prejudice_. "I've wanted to lend you this for a while now, but I was never quite sure whether you'd appreciate it. Now I know you will."

He smiled at her in return before taking the book.

Scorpius went down the corridor to change in the loo. Just as he was about to reenter the compartment, however, something made him stop. Instead of opening the door, he bent his head to peer through the glass portion of the wall. Rose had already returned, and was once again reading _Lord of the Flies_ with her head facing the outer window, now wearing jeans and deep blue-colored shirt that he knew would precisely match the shade of her eyes. Her red hair was bathed in the sun's final rays of orange and gold, setting it afire in a blaze of beautiful light. After a moment's pause, Scorpius pulled the camera Rose had given him from the knapsack in his hand. The attacks on Rose and Albus these past few years (as well as his mother's death, of course), aside from making him fiercely protective of them, had made him realize that every moment spent with your loved ones mattered – you never knew what would happen tomorrow, or next week, or next year. And that was what a picture was, wasn't it? It was a moment, perfectly preserved for all eternity. Though their time together, truly together, had only just begun, Scorpius knew even now that he would want to remember every last minute he spent with Rose Weasley.

The shutter closed with a click as he took the photograph. He admired the image for a moment longer before carefully stowing the camera in his bag. Scorpius liked the weight of it, the feeling of it in his hands – it was vastly different from his wizard camera, which had been charmed so that it was very light, and gave off small clouds of purple smoke as it took each photograph. He could tell it was old, as its design in no way resembled the sleek lines of the Ipod he'd borrowed from Rose on several occasions, or even the CD player she'd given him at the beginning of third year and forced him to figure out on his own. It gave off an aged, regal air, not too different from the one he sensed coming from the antique alchemical manuscripts in his father's collection. Somehow, it made him like it all the more. _Rose was right_ , he admitted to himself as he slid the compartment door open. _Muggle cameras are better._ And he intended to use this one whenever the opportunity arose.


	31. Chapter 31

Dear readers, welcome to the longest chapter I have ever written. It didn't start out this way in my head, trust me. This was supposed to be a little chapter, only filler really, set-up for other exciting things to come. Then, well… **this** happened. That happens to me frequently during the creative process; I'll sit down to write one thing only to realize that something else **needs** to happen, because its just so **right** for the characters and the story, and it basically writes itself - but not usually to this degree.

Enjoy :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

P.S. Emerald Sea Lion - I try not to post links in my stories. I'm not quite sure what ff's policy is on it, to be honest. Try searching for just the author names, though (Morgana Deryn, and Appello), and change the field you're searching for to Writer. That's how I always navigate the site, since it's a bit hard to look for specific fics otherwise.

* * *

 **Chapter 31**

 **Sixth Year, Part One**

Albus had never quite realized how little he liked heights, until he and his family (and Scorpius, of course, as well as Andrea Sterling) sat in the top box at the Quidditch World Cup that summer. He'd never minded how small the world on the ground looked when he was viewing it from a broomstick – he reveled in the feeling it gave him, in fact. On a broomstick, he was in control of how close he was to the earth, and with it his normal life; he would always return, eventually (there were too many things and people he liked on the ground), but it was freeing to temporarily escape the trappings of his daily life all the same. It was a surreal experience. But this…this was completely different. Here, he had no control over how high up he was. If he fell, he would have no way of arresting his descent, unless he could keep his head long enough to cast a quick spell. It made the danger feel far more real, and it greatly detracted from his enjoyment of watching the game, of which they had an extremely good view.

Rose scoffed at him as he attempted to explain his logic when she caught him gripping the railing in front of them tightly.

"Al, we'll be fine. You know that. How many times have you been in Astronomy class or our common room without worrying about falling?"

"I always sit in the back of the Astronomy Tower for lessons. The windows of Ravenclaw Tower have spell-proof glass."

"Well, if it makes you feel better, I read in _Quidditch Through the Ages_ that the rails of the box are enchanted so anyone who falls or tries to jump will be repelled backward."

That did make him feel a bit better, though he couldn't admit it to his cousin.

She sighed and turned to Scorpius, whom she had been surreptitiously holding hands with under their seats, where her parents couldn't see. Though Mr. Malfoy had been informed of the most recent development in their relationship, Rose had not yet found the right time to inform her own father. The rest of her family members knew, of course, or at least those in her generation. She had the sneaking suspicion her Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny knew as well; they kept smiling at the pair oddly when they thought no one else was looking. Perhaps tonight would present a good opportunity to break the news…assuming their team won, of course. If Peru beat England, it would be at least another month before her father would be able to tolerate even hearing that they had run out of strawberry jam at The Nest (her mother's name for their name still hadn't really caught on, after all these years), let alone that she was dating the son of a man who'd once been his sworn enemy. Rose gestured to the sky as Caius Flint managed to graze Peruvian Chaser Christian Arias with a Bludger, making him drop the Quaffle into the waiting arms of an English Chaser. "As much as I don't want Peru to win, I wish we didn't have to cheer for the Flints. I thought we were finally rid of them, after they finished Hogwarts."

"We haven't spoken to them in years," he replied simply. "Maybe they've changed."

"Or maybe they're still the same Slytherin arseholes who tormented first years. I'd say the latter is more likely."

Roxanne, catching only part of Rose's statement, leaned out from her seat down the row and shot them a glare.

"Roxy, I meant that in the best way possible."

"I'm with Rose on this one," said Andy, tearing her eyes away from the game as Peru scored. "They're the reason I met James, after all. That was just cruel of them."

Rose ignored the surprising show of support she'd just received. She and Andy still had not reconciled after their falling out at Christmas, and she was beginning to believe things would never be quite the same between them. Perhaps this was the Gryffindor girl's way of indicating she wasn't quite as upset with her friend as she had been. Maybe she wanted to talk about what had happened so many months ago. Rose thought that might be best. More than anything, though, Rose was upset over how easily Andy had walked out of her life, even though they now lived together. She never could have anticipated that their spat over some ridiculous piece of gossip and Andy's drinking habits (which had only gotten worse since they'd fought) could have led to such a rift. What might have been easily repaired a few days after the incident with a heartfelt conversation some space from one another had grown into something much larger. Though Rose knew her behavior had been less than ideal that night, she didn't think her transgressions were as egregious as Andrea's.

Still, the redhead resolved to hear Andy out if she approached her, or to start the conversation if it seemed she wanted to talk…if they found themselves alone, of course, and that rarely happened these days. It was hard for Rose to admit to herself just how much she missed her friend.

Rose tuned back into the game as her family's conversation quieted – it took a little while, as James and Andy had continued to snipe at one another following her comment about their first meeting. The silence didn't last long – just a few short minutes later, Thomas Flint caught the Snitch and won the game. The cheers throughout the stadium were deafening. Her family members were in a happy uproar: her father was standing on a chair with Professor Longbottom (she had a hard time not thinking of him as a professor, even when they weren't in school); Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny were kissing, and Albus, James, and Lily were studiously ignoring them while twirling their red and white scarves above their heads; Luna was doing some sort of odd victory dance with her husband and sons; Teddy was leading Roxanne, Fred, Molly, and Andy in a chorus of "Goblin King of England," a patriotic song with lyrics unfit for young ears, and Louis and Lucy were pretending not to hear them while blushing furiously; Hugo was hugging Rose, cutting off the circulation in her arms while he gripped her tightly, forcing her to jump up and down with him (but she didn't mind). Scorpius merely cheered politely, standing and clapping his hands; he refrained from making the same kind of ruckus that her family (and the rest of the England supporters, for that matter) were making. It was never more apparent that she and her boyfriend had been raised in completely different worlds.

Rose filed this observation away for later analysis, as she was preoccupied at the moment. Rather abruptly, one of the least pleasant people she had ever known had become the hero of all of Wizarding Britain. She hoped his personality, and that of his twin, had changed drastically since the last time they had met.

* * *

The Weasley-Potter clan tore through the campgrounds, laughing and singing. They happened across a good deal of their schoolmates both past and present, and the party around them (comprised of both friends and admirers) grew steadily larger. Isabella Spinnet was there with Ganesh Wood and Edmund Morcott, giggling in such a way that made Rose certain she'd had one too many glasses of Firewhiskey. Maeve Macmillan quickly found them and gravitated to Fred's side, where she remained for the rest of the evening. Mary Parker occasionally glowered at her, but it was hard for her to stay mad for long when Charlie McLeod was trying so hard to occupy her attention. Gregory Ollivander appeared to be enthralled with Cara Zabini, a Slytherin in Roxanne's year whom she was good friends with; seeing Gregory occupied with another girl gave Rose a strong feeling of relief. Reina Noda, though she was very shy, made it a point to approach Rose, Scorpius, and Albus to ask them about the state of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. Theodore Bones, Seamus Finnegan and his parents, and a few other older adults approached them as well, wishing to toast with the famous family to their country's victory. Rose politely declined the offer, though several others joined them – she made it a point not to drink spirits of any kind, as she didn't much care for the way they made her unable to think rationally. Once the adults had departed, Andy declared to the group at large that she had gotten quite a bad feeling from Mr. Bones, and reminded them that she was an excellent judge of character, a statement which Rose quickly dismissed as a product of the girl's attention-seeking nature and apparent drunkenness. The old man had seemed sweet, courteous, and harmless.

When they came across Brantley Jordan, Teddy ran up and hugged him like a long-lost brother; the former Hufflepuff returned the gesture one-armed, while keeping the other firmly around the waist of another former Hufflepuff, Matthew Corner. The two were very obviously in love, and Rose was happy for them.

"Come back to my tent in about an hour," he told them. "Matt and I are throwing a huge victory party. We're in the third section from the stadium, fourth row of tents. It's bright purple and very large, you can't miss it.

They all agreed, and set out for their own tents to inform their parents where they planned to be for the rest of the evening. None of them imagined they wouldn't be allowed to attend – Brantley had been a Hufflepuff, after all, and a good friend of Teddy's. Besides, the adults likely had plans of their own tonight. Though Rose had intended to tell her father about her romantic attachment to Scorpius this evening, while he was happy (and likely very tipsy), she supposed it could wait until tomorrow. He would still be in a good mood, she reasoned, and it would be good to celebrate their victory.

* * *

Rose had never attended a party at Hogwarts before, and as she and Scorpius sat curled up on a love seat in the corner of Brantley and Matthew's very large tent, she began to remember why. She didn't mind the crowd of people, which was comprised mostly of people their age and slightly older, or the heat that they produced, which filled the tent with a thin layer of steam that kept fogging up James' glasses. She didn't mind the dancing, either; she and Scorpius had spent a good portion of the evening on the dance floor, though he'd been a bit awkward with it at first. Teddy had even tried to climb one of the tent's supporting poles about half an hour ago, and Brantley and Matt had had to pull him down, laughing hysterically all the while. She enjoyed the food, the laughter, the people-watching…but it was so **loud**. How was anyone supposed to talk or think when the music was this deafening? The heavy baseline seemed to go right through her, making her body vibrate strangely, and the high notes of the electric guitar and the lead singer's voice (Brantley had somehow managed to fit a live band in his tent) pierced her head and threatened to break several windows. It had gotten more irritating as time wore on, and was now beginning to give her a headache. Maybe it was something that could only be enjoyed with the help of alcohol – Scorpius and the others had all indulged in a few drinks, and they seemed to be enjoying the music just fine.

Scorpius turned to say something, resting his arm around her shoulders, but she couldn't hear him over the din. She read his lips instead as he repeated the question. "Having fun?"

She shrugged, and covered her ears to make it clear she didn't appreciate the noise.

"Want to leave?"

She shook her head. "I should keep an eye on them," she replied, gesturing to her family members scattered throughout the tent. Her eyes lingered on Roxanne, who was flirting with one of the Flint twins (she thought it was Thomas, as his build seemed a bit too slim to be a Beater, but she couldn't be certain without his jersey). They had strolled in when the party was just beginning, causing quite a commotion as people rushed for their autographs, and hadn't left since. Roxanne had hit it off with them when they'd complained about the Weasleys being there, calling them a load of dim-witted (the actual term they'd used had been far less kind) Gryffindors. "We're Ravenclaws," Rose and Al replied together.

Lucy had stepped forward in a rare display of defiance. "I'm a Hufflepuff."

Roxanne had tossed her curly, dark-red hair over her shoulder and batted her eyes. "And I'm a Slytherin, so shove off." After tossing a few more jabs back and forth, one of the brothers hadn't left her side for the rest of the evening. She seemed to be enjoying herself, though, and so Rose hadn't intervened. Still, it would be best to keep an eye on them; you never knew what could happen at a party like this, and she was the only one with all her senses still about her.

"Relax," Scorpius mouthed. "Enjoy yourself." He leaned in to kiss her, and after a moment's hesitation, she reciprocated. Just as it always did when they kissed, the rest of the world fell away, fading into a blur in her peripheral vision. The loud music suddenly ceased to bother her. His hand brushed a strand of hair from her face, and the other rested on her waist, slipping under her shirt and caressing the bare skin there. She shivered, running her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck. They continued like this for a while, surfacing every once in a while long enough to check on Roxanne and the rest of her family. Neither realized that the hour had grown late enough for their chaperones to begin to worry.

Their kiss came to a grinding halt as she felt a strong hand clasp her shoulder, pulling her away from Scorpius' embrace. Rose gasped in surprise and tried to fight her way out of the grip, spinning around on the seat to identify the person to whom the hand belonged while fighting to keep an arm around her boyfriend's neck. His hold on her waist became protective, and he pulled out his wand from his pocket with the other as he tried to hold onto her.

"What the bloody hell-" she started, then cut off abruptly as she recognized the person gripping her.

Her father's face was an inch from hers, scowling in surprise and anger, his skin as red as his hair.

"Oh, Merlin," she whispered quietly, though no one could hear her.

For a moment that seemed to stretch on forever, the air between them was filled with a tense silence. Rose slowly relinquished her hold from Scorpius' neck, though he bravely (or foolishly, depending on one's perspective) kept his hand on her waist.

When it came to her father, silence could never last very long. He yelled, somehow managing to make himself heard over the booming rock band. "GET YOUR BLOODY HANDS OFF MY DAUGHTER, MALFOY!" As if to emphasize his point, he gave Rose's arm another sharp tug, making her wince in pain. Scorpius saw her look of discomfort and caught her gaze, his ice-blue eyes silently asking her what she wanted him to do. She shook her head slightly, and he reluctantly let go of her waist; he maintained a tight grip on his wand, however, ready to cast a Shield Charm around both of them if necessary. Rose stumbled to her feet, hoping her father would lead her out of the tent without causing too much of a fuss, but of course she knew that was too much to hope for.

"HOW DARE YOU TOUCH HER LIKE THAT!" Ron shouted. "ROSE, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, SNOGGING THIS PURE-BLOOD GIT! I FINALLY START TO GET USED TO YOU BEING FRIENDS WITH HIM, AND THEN YOU GO AND SNOG HIM?"

The music cut off abruptly as everyone at the party turned and stared. Brantley Jordan had paused with his drink halfway to his lips; his punch was spilling out onto Matthew Corner's shoes, but neither seemed to notice or care. Rose felt herself blush, but she held her ground against her father, hiding the fact that she was mortified. She would never live this down, even after she graduated. She would always be **_that_** girl.

"I'm sixteen, Dad," she replied sharply. "I can snog who I like."

"OUT OF ALL THE BLOKES AT THIS PARTY, YOU HAD TO CHOOSE **MALFOY**!"

"We're dating," she said in a firm voice. "And, logically speaking, I figured that my boyfriend would be the best bloke to snog at a party."

Ron was momentarily speechless; clearly he hadn't anticipated the extent of this daughter's betrayal.

Scorpius took the opportunity to stand up next to Rose. "Mr. Weasley, I wish the circumstances were better, but I want to assure you that-"

"SHUT UP, MALFOY," Mr. Weasley growled. "I DON'T WANT TO HEAR A WORD FROM YOU."

Rose saw her family members gathering in a large clump near the entrance of the tent, staring. She could tell they were torn between wanting to defend her and Scorpius, and fearing Ron's reaction if they did. She gave them a tense look she hoped told them to keep their distance; there was no telling what her father would do otherwise.

"Look, Dad, I'm sorry we didn't tell you sooner, but **this** is why! I knew you wouldn't give Scorpius a chance, and it would only start a fight that neither of us would back down on! For Rowena's sake, you were convinced he **attacked me** last year!"

"And why shouldn't I think that? He's a MALFOY, Rose! He is our enemy, and he will always be our enemy, no matter how friendly you may get with him!"

"He's my best friend, and my boyfriend, and he saved my life," she answered quietly. "Albus trusts him, and so do I. And right now you're being just as prejudiced as Draco and Lucius and all the rest were before."

Ron's eyes widened even further. "I'M being prejudiced?! I am?! The Malfoys INVENTED blood feuds."

"Scorpius can't help what his last name is, Dad, any more than Mum could help that she came from Muggles, or you from so-called blood traitors. We should be judged by our actions, not by where we come from."

She looked out across the dance floor, at the crowd of Hogwarts students and alumni who were staring at her, as well as a few from Beauxbaton and Durmstrang. They lived in a different world than the one their parents had, she thought to herself. There was still so much work to be done, breaking down all those old barriers between pure-bloods and Muggleborns and Muggles. And yet, she knew they had still come very far in the past two decades. This party, with its conglomeration of attendees that ranged from pureblood Slytherins to Muggleborn Gryffindors and everything in between, was proof of that progress. If her father couldn't see that, he was blind, and someone needed to make him see; Merlin knew her mother had been trying for years. And right now, it seemed she was in the best position possible to do so.

Roxanne caught Rose's gaze and gave an imperceptible nod; clearly the Slytherin girl knew the direction her thoughts were going in, and approved of the plan.

Rose gestured to the blonde girl hovering between Al and Roxy. "Take Krisitna, for instance. She's a Goyle, and a Slytherin. She's also dating your nephew. And she's friends with your niece."

The fifth year she'd called attention to blushed but stood her ground, her chin tilting defiantly. Albus looked petrified, but he remained standing beside her.

"So is Cara Zabini, for that matter. And she's here with an Ollivander tonight; the grandson of a man who was tortured by her relatives and other Death Eaters during the War, to be precise. He doesn't seem to hold it against her."

Cara tightened her grip on Gregory's arm but said nothing against Rose. She was a sweet girl, a bookworm who loved studying ancient Latin and Greek when she had spare time – Rose sometimes sat with her and Roxanne in the library. She could be odd at times, and nearly matched Roxanne in terms of deviousness and determination, but she was sweet nonetheless.

"And you know Roxy is a Slytherin. Scorpius is a **Ravenclaw** , for Merlin's sake, and you've still never really given him a chance."

Roxanne smirked in response.

"That's Elizabeth Parkinson," she said, pointing out a dark-haired girl dressed in a short red dress. "She's a Gryffindor. And Richard Nott," she continued, looking at the tall boy standing next to her, "is a Hufflepuff. A Hufflepuff, Dad."

She gestured to Mary Parker. "Mary's a Gryffindor, and she isn't a pureblood, but she can be a bloody pain in my arse, sometimes. She can also be nice when she wants to, though, so we tolerate her."

The girl she was referring to glared.

Finally, she pointed to the famous man standing on Roxanne's other side, one hand placed protectively on her shoulder. "And that's Thomas Flint. At least, I think it's Thomas; it could be Caius, for all I know, we were never very close. He's the son of Marcus Flint, and he was a Slytherin when he went to Hogwarts, yet that didn't stop you from asking for his autograph earlier when we met in the VIP section."

"Yes, well, that's completely different," Ron growled. In an abnormal (for him) burst of perception, he seemed to sense that the tide of the crowd was shifting against him, and decided to save the rest of this conversation for later. What he had to say to his daughter was best left unsaid until they were behind closed doors. He turned to face the knot of his nieces and nephews (as well as his son and a few family friends) huddled near the edge of the dance floor. "Hugo, and all the rest of you, it's time to come back to the tent. Your parents are all worried, it's almost one in the morning." He glared at his daughter, in a way that both hurt her and made her angry. "We'll finish this conversation later. Say goodbye to Malfoy, you won't be speaking to him for a long time. You're my daughter and I forbid you to date him."

She went with her father as he pulled her toward the tent flap, but retorted bitterly, "We go back to Hogwarts in less than a month, Dad, and I hope you know we'll go right back to dating the second we step on the train. I'd rather have your permission, but either way, I'm not leaving him."

Ron huffed, but said nothing.

Rose cast a lingering look at Scorpius over her shoulder before she was hauled out through the tent flap. He smiled sadly back at her, but wisely made no move to follow them.

* * *

"You should have told us," Hermione chastised her daughter later that evening. "If I had been there, if I had known, I could have helped you ease him into it. That was the worst possible way for your father to find out."

"Are you upset?" Rose asked hesitantly. As angry as she was with her father right now, she had no desire to hurt her mother. "I'm sorry I didn't say something sooner, we were just waiting for the right time. "

Hermione sighed. "I understand, sweetheart. But now you're going to have to live with the consequences. He would have objected under the best of circumstances. Now, he's furious, and he's also hurt you didn't tell him."

"I know. I was going to tell you both tomorrow, you know, once England had won and everyone was in a good mood."

"Yes, well, it's rather late for that now."

Rose understood her father and his temper well, but she deferred to Hermione's superior knowledge as she asked, "Should I go speak with him, or let him alone tonight to cool down first?"

"That depends how your argument with him went earlier."

The girl gave her mother a detailed outline of the case she had presented to Ron, and how he'd responded by telling her she wasn't to speak to Scorpius for the rest of the summer.

Mrs. Weasley sighed again. "I'm sorry it's ended up like this, sweetheart. I can sneak letters to Scorpius, if you'd like. I suspect your father will insist that Circe stay in the house until you return to Hogwarts."

Rose smiled faintly, glad that she had concealed the Christmas present Scorpius had given her from her parents. "I have it covered, Mum. But thank you."

Hermione returned the smile. "I should have known you'd have worked out a way to talk without owls by now." She turned to busy herself with the kettle, which was sitting on the small portable woodstove they'd brought with them to the campground. "As for talking with him, I think it would be best for you to apologize for keeping your relationship with Scorpius a secret. Just don't start a fight unless he goes for you first, alright? And take some tea to him when you go," she said, handing Rose two steaming mugs. "He's outside."

Rose nodded and hugged her mother, taking caution not to spill the hot liquid onto her back. "Thanks, Mum."

* * *

Rose stepped outside. She paused for a moment, allowing her eyes to adjust to the dim light of the moon before searching for her father. Soon, she spotted him sitting on a rough wooden bench; it was clear he'd Transfigured it himself – though it was sturdy enough and would no doubt hold her weight as well as his, he'd never had an eye for the finer details of conjuring. Wordlessly, she sat next to him and handed him a cup of the tea her mother had brewed. He accepted it from her, his cold hand briefly brushing hers. She wondered how long he'd been out here, and whether he noticed that the chill night air had turned his fingers to ice.

The pair sat there in silence for quite a while. Rose finally broke it when she felt a sufficient amount of time had passed for her father to grow used to her presence. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Dad." She spoke softly, but the campground had grown quiet, and she knew he could hear her. "No matter how I knew you would react, I should have told you once it became apparent Scorpius and I would be staying together." She didn't dare tell him how their relationship had begun with a mutual declaration of love before being sealed with a kiss, or that she'd held no doubt whatsoever from the beginning that they would remain together for a good while once they had taken that step. He needed to be eased into this as gently as possible.

They lapsed back into silence for a long time before Ron spoke. "I just don't understand why you're doing this to me, Rosie," he whispered. "The Malfoys are dangerous. You're my little girl, and I'm trying to protect you. You don't know them like I do."

"Like you **did** ," she corrected, matching his tone. She paused before continuing. "Did I tell you that Lucius Malfoy is no longer living at Malfoy Manor?"

Ron shook his head.

"Draco kicked him out. He refused to turn Albus and I out of doors while we were staying there over the holiday. He said we would always be welcome wherever he and Scorpius called home."

Her father sucked in a breath. "And he made a show of it, no doubt," he said bitterly. "He must have made sure to say that while you and Albus were watching and listening, so you'd know how **_good_** and how **_kind_** he is. He and his family were always good at playing the game."

"This isn't a game, Dad," she corrected gently. "I was listening in on them. He doesn't know I heard. He gave some excuse about how Lucius was away on business the next morning, and I never contradicted him." She paused again before pressing the issue. "He's made mistakes in his life, Dad, but he's become a good man. And his son is far better than he ever was or will be. Did you know he wants to be an Auror, once we leave Hogwarts?"

Ron stayed silent, which Rose took as an invitation to keep going – but gently, very gently, because she sensed that if she pushed him too far now, she would never have another chance like this one to convince him.

"I'm not asking you to trust him like I do, Dad. Things like that take time, and patience, and understanding. I'm just asking you – no, begging you – to give him a chance."

It seemed ages had passed before her father spoke again. "I give you permission to date him, Rosie," he said quietly, his voice flat. "You're old enough to make your own decisions. You'll be seventeen in less than a year. Just don't ask me to like him. I can't." His eyes flashed with what looked like disappointment.

Tears began to fall down her cheeks, and she took a sip of her now lukewarm tea to hide her face long enough to wipe them away. She was getting what she wanted…but not really. She wanted her father to accept Scorpius, to get to know him, to get along with him. They were two of the most important men in her life, and she wanted desperately for them see in one another what she saw in each of them. Would this change her relationship with her father? There had been space growing between them for years, she knew – ever since she had revealed her friendship with Scorpius to him, and she'd been forced to see a side of Ron that was far less pleasant than the one she'd come to know and love – but this rift felt more permanent.

Rose had relied on him like no one else throughout her childhood. While her mother was working seemingly endless hours at the Ministry of Magic, fighting to make the world a better place for all, her father had been the one to make **her** world better. When she was young, after he'd given up his job as an Auror to work at the joke shop, he'd taken her and baby Hugo to work with him every day, letting them play with the store of products they kept in the back (or the harmless ones, anyway, like fake wands and color bombs). He'd sat her and her brother on the counter as he rang up customers' purchases, tickling them with the end of his feather quill when they weren't looking, making them giggle with delight. He'd kissed and healed the scrapes on her knees and hands and elbows she'd gotten each time she fell down, chasing her brother or one of her cousins. He'd taught her how to ride a broom, and how to play Quidditch when she was able to stay on it long enough. He'd let her sit on his lap each night as he read the Daily Prophet, head resting on his chest, small fingers pointing to the pictures she wanted him to read the captions for before she was able to do it herself. Each time she did something that made him proud, like reading her first novel, catching and holding onto her first Quaffle, or standing up for Hugo in her first fight with one awful neighborhood bully, he'd swept her up into his arms and whispered to her "That's my Rosie, that's my girl." He'd been the only one she would allow to comfort her when Albus had been attacked, the one she'd wanted by her side after she'd nearly died in the Forbidden Forest… at least until he'd accused Scorpius of hurting her himself.

A year or two ago, Rose would have held out hope that things between her and her father would eventually return to the way they were before Scorpius came into the picture, before she started dating him.

But like her father had told her once before, she was growing up, and that meant being realistic even when it was easier to be foolish and idealistic. Maybe it would happen. Maybe. But it was better to expect the worst, because then you could never be disappointed when the worst happened.

Worst-case scenario: She and her father never got on as well as they had before. The bond they had shared would never quite be repaired. He wouldn't outright forbid her to see Scorpius, but he would be disappointed with her. There would be no more late-night talks when neither could sleep, no more going to Quidditch games during the summer months when she returned home, to spend a day alone and out on the town while Mum and Hugo cooked and baked at home.

But she still had Albus, and her mother, and Hugo, and her aunts, and uncles, and cousins.

And she still had Scorpius.

 _Thorns have roses_ , she told herself, repeating it over and over in her head. It was a saying she'd always liked, much more so than it's equivalent _e_ _very cloud has a silver lining_ , because it was **true**. Thorns have roses. And you could complain that roses have thorns, or be thankful that thorns have roses. This rift with her father was a very large thorn, it was true… but then, Scorpius was a very large rose.


	32. Chapter 32

Hello all! I meant to post this update a bit earlier in the day, sorry for the delay. I know this is a bit slow, but there needed to be some set-up for *things* to come [insert maniacal laughter here].

Just as a heads up, you may be seeing a new one-shot appearing sometime in the near future! I've been rereading the seventh book recently, and doing so has given me a story idea I can't seem to shake from my head. I'd greatly appreciate any support you could show for it once it's released (most likely in a few weeks' time), just as I do all your lovely reviews, favorites, follows, and PMs for THR and The Thorn in My Side

Disclaimer: If I owned _Harry Potter_ , I wouldn't have to worry about student loans.

Also, the _Codex_ I mention in the Alchemy bit is actually a reference to another favorite fantasy series of mine - House Points to whoever figures it out first!

* * *

 **Chapter 32**

 **Sixth Year, Part Two**

A week before the start of term, along with the usual list of books and school supplies required for the coming year, Albus received a badge that proclaimed him Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain. The bestowing of this honor gave his parents one more thing to celebrate at his annual birthday and end-of-summer party, and it was one more excuse for their very large family to congregate in a house that was far too small for their numbers. Almost everyone near and dear to Al was in attendance… but there was one person of note who was absent.

Rose thought Scorpius was being ridiculous by refusing to visit the Potters' at the end of August, a trip which he had made every summer since the year they'd first met, except for the year he'd lost his mother. She told him as much in their daily communications via the set of enchanted journals, but he simply wouldn't listen. "I'll be fine at the Manor until we go back to Hogwarts, honestly. Things are much easier now that Grandfather isn't around."

As much as Rose didn't like to admit it, Scorpius' absence did make her relationship with her father easier to manage. Though the their interactions were a far cry from those they'd previously had, his attitude had become a bit less cool (when he was forced to be around her) once he'd learned that she would remain home until September 1st, and that she would not see the young Malfoy until then. Ron was also not aware that Rose and Scorpius had worked out a way to communicate without owls, and took great heart from the fact he believed they had been barely speaking all summer. He spoke to her sometimes, asking her if she'd heard the Chudley Cannons had won the night before, or whether she and Hugo had any plans for the day. Despite these small attempts at conversation, however, Rose still felt a sense of profound loss whenever she was around her father. Whenever she saw his face, she felt the urge to tell him every detail of how her day had gone, or ask him whether they could go see a Quidditch game together, just the two of them, or ask him to allow her to help him test new products for Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, which he and Uncle George did frequently each summer to prepare for the start of term, and the flood of Hogwarts students that would precede it.

Rose felt rather alone in the house, what with her mother working constantly and her father at the joke shop or avoiding her by hiding in his study, though Hugo's presence kept things from getting too boring. When the pair were left alone, they often played Quidditch one-on-one, or resorted to bickering with each other occasionally while they engaged in separate activities. The Ravenclaw had also aimed to help her brother improve his class standings by tutoring him in the material he'd learn in the following year, but she soon gave up the task when he began to violently resist her efforts. Lorcan, Lysander, Lily, and Al also visited periodically, and she was happy to hear that all three of the fifth years had been made Prefects. Hugo was not so fortunate, though she hadn't expected him to receive the title, given his propensity for pulling pranks with James, Fred, and Roxanne.

The family trip to Diagon Alley on August 26th was, as always, chaotic (though not nearly as much as it had been the year of Uncle Percy's meltdown). This would be James and Fred's last excursion to buy their things for Hogwarts, and they seemed to want to make the most out of it. They tore through each shop with great fervor, spending every last knut they had managed to save over the summer, and pulling occasional pranks on unsuspecting customers by animating the products they were considering purchasing; one woman almost had her hair eaten by a rather large, floppy hat whose brim became a mouth full of teeth, and a rotund older man was chased up and down the aisles of Madame Malkin's by an enchanted set of robes that felt a compelling desire to hug him. It ended all too soon, however, leaving Rose to spend the next five days alone at home while Hugo visited with a friend from his year, Peter Stabbins. She spent them reading, of course, and talking with Scorpius.

"What do you think our N.E.W.T.-level classes will be like?" she wrote on one occasion.

 _Difficult_ , he replied, _but manageable. You're taking the same courses as I am, aren't you?_

"I believe so. I'll be starting in Alchemy, and continuing in Potions (obviously), Arithmancy, Charms, Transfiguration, Runes, Herbology, and Defense. I'll be dropping Care of Magical Creatures, though. What are you taking?"

 _All the same, except I'll be taking Care of Magical Creatures instead of Alchemy. Someone had to stay with Hagrid, after all. What is Al taking?_

"His schedule is similar. He'll be taking Alchemy with me, but he's also continuing Care of Magical Creatures as well as the rest, and of course he's in Divination instead of Arithmancy."

 _Nine N.E.W.T._ s? _I know he's smart, and he works hard, but isn't that a bit much? On top of being Quidditch Captain?_

"I thought so too, but he can do it if he puts his mind to it, which he has. He's also not a Prefect, so he has a bit more time to study than we do."

 _Well, it will be interesting. I hope we'll get to see him occasionally, if he ever manages to leave the library._

"Oh come now, you know we'll be spending just as much time there as he will."

 _Probably true. Ah well, at least we'll be together. I miss you two._ After a pause, he added, _Mostly you. I've gone this long without seeing Al before, but never you. It feels quite odd, and a bit upsetting._

"Me too. Well, you could have come to stay at the Potters'…"

 _Rosie, you know why I didn't. I don't want to make you choose between me and your Dad._

"Scor, he's barely talking to me, except to ask me to pass the jam at breakfast. Your not being here hasn't changed much," she fibbed lightly. She missed her boyfriend, and his absence wasn't worth the very small change she'd noted in her father's demeanor, especially when he was almost never in the same room as her. She was lonely.

There was a long pause before Scorpius responded. _Are you sure this is what you want? I'll understand if you say no._

Rose gritted her teeth. "Don't even ask me that. Of course you're what I want. Dad will see reason. I know he will." She was lying outright to him now, but she couldn't bring herself to tell him the truth. She'd made her decision, and there was no point in making him feel guilty over it.

* * *

Five days later, Rose searched anxiously for her boyfriend and best friend as she stood on Platform 9 ¾. Usually she didn't mind being a bit on the short side (she was about 5'1" or 5'2"). _Accio_ made it easy for her to retrieve anything she needed on library shelves that were out of her reach, and she was used to having Albus or Scorpius with her to help navigate through crowded rooms, as both were (in her opinion) ridiculously tall. Without one of them by her side today, however, it became exceedingly difficult to locate either.

After what felt like ages of fruitless effort, the Ravenclaw decided to take a different approach. She and Hugo said their goodbyes to their parents, then boarded the Hogwarts Express. Her brother soon went off on his own to find Peter and his other friends, while Rose went off to claim the train's last compartment. Once she'd settled in, she fished her enchanted journal and a self-inking quill out of her bag.

"I'm at the place where we met," she wrote. "Come find me when you get here, and bring Albus if he's with you." She stared out the open door of the compartment down the crowded hallway, waiting.

Finally, she spotted Scorpius' head of silver-blonde hair in the throng; its color was unmistakable, like starlight, or spun silver – she knew it far too well to confuse him for another, or to confuse someone else for him. Rose dashed down the corridor, closing the remaining space between them quickly. When they'd reached each other, she all but attacked him, throwing herself into his arms. He was startled by her sudden embrace, but returned it immediately.

"Thank Merlin," he whispered in her ear. "I thought I was going to go mad, missing you."

"I did too. Then again, 'we're all mad here…I'm mad. You're mad… or you wouldn't have come here,'" she quoted teasingly.

He looked at her curiously, not understanding the reference.

"Okay, I'm adding _Alice's Adventures in Wonderland_ and _Through the Looking Glass_ to your reading list," she murmured before pressing her face into his chest. He put his hand to the back of her head, twining his fingers in her red curls.

They were interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat. "Yes yes, I understand, you missed each other. Of course, I've gone without seeing Scorpius just as long as you, Rose, but I don't seem to merit a-"

Scorpius cut off Albus' complaint by releasing Rose to give him a quick hug. Potter was startled into silence. Malfoy had grown out of his unease with physical affection over the years, but this was beyond the scope of their normal interactions, save for when either was particularly distressed.

"Yes, well, I'm happy to see you too, mate," the black-haired boy responded, awkwardly clapping his friend on the back a few times. "Let's continue this in the compartment, shall we? Before people begin to get the wrong idea?"

* * *

The trio wasn't surprised to see Percy Weasley sitting at the High Table of the Great Hall during the welcoming feast; he'd been bragging all summer about how Headmaster Goshawk herself had recruited him to teach Alchemy just before she retired, and Rose had filled Scorpius in on the news. Still, it was odd, seeing his shock of red hair (though it was threaded through with a fair amount of grey, and was beginning to recede at the crown of his head) amongst the other Hogwarts teachers. Rose suspected it would be even more awkward to have a class with him, but she didn't doubt he would be a good instructor; though he'd enjoyed his time working for the Ministry, it was clear from his giddiness upon receiving the position that he'd remained an academic at heart. He had continued to publish papers in Alchemy and Transfiguration after his graduation from Hogwarts based on the private research he did in his spare time, and Rose suspected he would have asked to see Scorpius' family's collection of alchemical manuscripts by now if his last name had been anything other than Malfoy.

Percy Weasley's presence and former Professor Willoughby's absence was not the only change that had occurred in Hogwarts staff this year, however, nor was it the most noticeable. With Headmaster Goshawk's retirement (and really, it was about time, Rose thought, the witch was over 100 years old) came the appointment of a new Headmistress: Professor Mary Macdonald, the former Deputy Headmistress, was now sitting in the largest chair in the middle of the Head Table. Rose, Albus, and Scorpius knew little about her, other than that she had been a student when Lily Evans, James Potter, and Severus Snape had attended Hogwarts, and that she was a Muggle-born witch. Professor Longbottom had taken over as Head of Gryffindor in her stead, and former Beauxbatons student Adelade Moreau had been hired to fill the now-vacant Muggle Studies position.

After the Sorting, Professor Macdonald gave a moving speech about her pride at how much the school had advanced since she'd been a student. The wizarding world had moved past the questions of blood purity and prejudice, she said, and her new position as Headmistress was proof. Rose wasn't so sure that this was the case. She looked over at the Slytherin table and saw that the rumors were true – Delilah Macnair's parents had removed her from Hogwarts and sent her to Ilvermorny across the Atlantic because of Mary Macdonald's promotion. Several other students wearing emerald green looked uneasy, and the Ravenclaw suspected their parents had tried to transfer them as well. Some prominent Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs were shooting them smug glares and icy smiles as the new Headmistress spoke, and Rose was forcibly reminded that sometimes prejudice ran both ways. Her father was an excellent example, after all.

Several of Rose's theories were proven to be correct the following day – it was awkward to have a class with Uncle Percy, but he was also a very good teacher.

"Alchemy is about change," he began, once all of his students were seated. There were about a dozen sixth years in attendance, from all four Houses. Uncle Percy would be instructing the seventh years whom had taken the introductory course last year in a separate lecture. Albus sat on her left, hands folded on the desk, head tilted attentively; Gregory Ollivander sat to the right, with Maeve Macmillan behind him, and Cara Zabini on his other side. Andrea Sterling sat directly behind her, and Rose wondered whether she should approach the girl after class to have a word concerning the state of their relationship.

"You already know from your studies of Transfiguration that the world is more mutable than Muggles believe it to be. Though they are correct in assuming matter cannot be created or destroyed, they do not understand how one kind of atom can be magically transformed into another – in other words, they cannot comprehend that atoms of gases can be transformed into solids," here he conjured a chair out of thin air to sit upon, "or particles of baser metals into precious ones," and here he flicked his wand to turn the classroom door's brass doorknob to gold. "The study of Alchemy by Muggles, which became popular a good thirty years after the Statue of Secrecy had been passed, is the closest they have ever come to unearthing the secrets of magic; certain alchemical reactions do not require magical blood to be performed, and it took a great deal of intervention on our part to keep Muggle alchemists in the dark about what the science could truly do – according to some, this is when Memory Charms first came into widespread use, though this fact is highly contested.

"Under the correct chemical conditions, which are put into place through the careful control of reaction conditions not unlike the procedures of Potions recipes, an alchemist can change sand into silver, spin straw into gold, create a solvent that will dissolve both polar and nonpolar species alike, cure diseases which are otherwise terminal, reverse the effects of aging, and even brew immortality. In the next two years, assuming you choose to continue the subject next term, you will learn to do all these things and more, save for the last; as you certainly know by now, the ability to prevent death in this way was lost when the Philosopher's Stone was destroyed by its creators, Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel.

"Shall we have a demonstration?" he asked, gesturing to the apparatus placed on his desk at the front of the class. It was large and box-shaped, with sides made from thick panes of glass. It was filled with a liquid that held a golden hue. "This tank is filled with an aqueous solution of gold chloride. One of the easiest ways to identify metals and their oxidation states is by their color. Muggles know this. But what they don't know is that certain compounds with magical properties are able to constantly change the oxidation states of certain metals, keeping them in flux." Percy picked up a small vial of what appeared to be a white crystalline powder from the rack on his desk. "This is Rochelle salt, a weak reducing agent. It's been enchanted using a few alchemical spells, so…", he tipped the container's contents into the box. The effect was immediate. The liquid instantly became a violent shade of purple. After a moment, the color changed again to ruby red, then again to a cerulean blue, then lime green, and so on. Colored steam began to rise from the tank as the solution grew hotter, and after a moment realized the smoke was forming different letters with each change of color: A-L-C-H-E-M-Y. This cycle continued as the Professor continued: "Alchemy requires a meticulous mind and an abundance of patience, but the feats it can perform…why, it's nothing short of magical. This is only a parlor trick compared to what you will learn to do in this class.

"Now, if you'd please open your copies of _Alchemy: The Secrets of the Codex_ to the Introduction, I'd like to lay out our course of studies this term…"

Rose and Albus came to greatly enjoy the class in the following months, though the same could not be said of many of their classmates. It was too boring for some, but the cousins preferred to think of the work as meticulous. Though Rose still greatly preferred Potions, and Albus Transfiguration, they were glad to see that Alchemy integrated aspects of both these subjects. Their other lessons also went well, as did Scorpius' - the trio was happy to have the majority of them together; most of their days were spent in the library or Ravenclaw tower, studying, sometimes with others and sometimes alone. The level of difficulty this year was unlike anything they'd ever experienced, and though each reveled in the challenge and knew they would ultimately succeed (most likely with flying colors), the first month had them a bit dazed with the amount of work they were expected to accomplish. What little free time they had was occupied by Quidditch practices, and Prefect duties in the case of Rose and Scorpius.

Their Quidditch team that year was the strongest it had ever been. Scorpius was in prime condition as Keeper, and the Quaffle hardly ever made it through one of the three hoops in their practices. It wasn't for lack of trying on the part of Chasers Arran Wright, Tara Abney, and Rose, of course – he was simply that good. Penelope Peakes and Bernard Belby (the latter of whom insisted he be called Ben, as he hated his full name) served as excellent Beaters. And Albus was the best Seeker and Captain any team could have asked for. The plays he came up with were masterful, and he pushed them hard while remaining kind and encouraging. They trounced Hufflepuff in their game the third week of November. Since Gryffindor easily beat Slytherin when the two teams played one another earlier in the season, it was quickly shaping up to be a tight race to the Quidditch Cup between the two teams. The winner would most likely be decided in their match against one another in May, and Rose eagerly anticipated the opportunity to take down her brother and cousins - Fred and Lily played as Beater and Chaser, respectively, and Hugo had been promoted to Keeper to replace Louis.

Each practice left her feeling drained, and she found it nearly impossible to study after she'd left the pitch those nights. Once or twice, she'd even fallen asleep in the Common Room, leaving Scorpius and Albus to carry her up the stairs to her bed; Ravenclaw Tower didn't have the same enchantments in place to protect the girls' privacy as the Gryffindor dorms did – apparently Rowena had trusted her students to be respectful of one another's space. Still, it was a happy sort of exhaustion. Her classes, her Quidditch team, her family, her new boyfriend… everything seemed to be working out perfectly.

The only thing that marred the Ravenclaw's joy was the conspicuous absence of letters from her father. Over her years at Hogwarts, she'd grown used to receiving at least one a week, two if there was any new family intrigue or the Chudley Cannons were doing well. She wondered what the atmosphere would be at home when she returned for the Christmas holidays, which seemed to be rushing toward them at the pace of a speeding dragon. Would there be drama? Arguments? Hostility? She would just have to cross those bridges when she came to them. Only time would tell – there was no way to know before it happened, after all.

Of course, Rose was forgetting about her Seer cousin – an uncharacteristic oversight that would soon be corrected.


	33. Chapter 33

Holy. Helga. Hufflepuff. This chapter was so difficult to write. But never fear, it's here now!

I already have the next chapter written - originally, it was going to be included with this one, but it simply got too long, and there was too much going on. I promise to update in less than a week, however, so don't go trying to kill me just yet.

As always, thank you for your lovely reviews, favorites, follows, and PMs - they mean the world to me.

 **VoT:** Thank you for your review. You know what they say: You haven't really made it until you get hate mail! In all seriousness, though, I'd like to address your complaint. Part of what I love about the way Rowling ended book 7 was the way in which she left the personalities of the next generation characters wide open. That gives me and other fanfiction writers the freedom to create characters who would be well-suited for houses that other HP fans might not anticipate (or agree with). One of the things that first inspired me to write this fic was the lack of Ravenclaw representation I found in NextGen fics I read. As a proud Ravenpuff (though admittedly I tend to lean more toward the Hufflepuff side, though in my opinion this would create a less interesting set of characters and stories), I sought to rectify this in a way I thought would be interesting to explore. I liked the idea of sorting all three of the characters into the same house, as it would give them a reason to interact positively on a daily basis and form a friendship, as well as diverse backstories and similar personality traits that could manifest in very different ways…and I really couldn't imagine Rose as a Slytherin, or Scorpius as a Gryffindor. So, I decided to explore the possibilities an all-Ravenclaw cast would open up, and here we are.

tldr: I'm sorry you don't like my fic, but understand this is my exploration of a "what-if" scenario. I've come to fall in love with the characters I've helped to breathe life into (though at times it feels like they're writing themselves!), and I stand by my sorting of them into Ravenclaw.

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling. If I was, _The Cursed Child_ would **never** have been approved (at least in the state it was in. Yikes.)

So, without further ado, enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 33**

 **Sixth Year, Part Three**

The Christmas holidays fell upon the trio quickly, as did the large amount of snow that accompanied them. For Rose and Albus, it signaled a return to their respective homes, with a reunion at the Burrow on Christmas Day to look forward to. Though Scorpius wasn't with them, as he had his own family plans with his father and grandmother (Lucius Malfoy had not been heard from in at least six months, and even Narcissa was at a loss as to his location), Rose had persuaded him to return to his normal habits and stay with the Potters for New Years using a host of platitudes about how her father would warm up to him eventually. Neither was truly convinced by her statements, but they made both feel inexplicably better.

It was only once she returned home that Rose discovered her brother had managed to secure himself a girlfriend, Hufflepuff Mara Yorke, a Prefect in his year. For the rest of their time away from Hogwarts, Rose teased him endlessly, making him turn amusingly red in the cheeks. She felt no guilt in tormenting her brother whatsoever, considering Hugo always gave as good as he got (though he was smart enough to do so only when their father wasn't present, knowing the cataclysmic effect mentioning Scorpius would have had). This loving sibling rivalry made their stay at home as interesting and endearingly familiar as always.

On Christmas Day, the Burrow's occupants quickly discovered that James and Fred had helped Ron and Uncle George at Wealseys' Wizard Wheezes to develop a line of wildly popular holiday-scented Dungbombs. Those in the sitting room found themselves being pelted with the obnoxiously-strong smoking pellets, which reeked of gingerbread and pine. Rose and Albus volunteered to help cook in the kitchen just to avoid the stench, as did Lily, Lucy, and Louis. Kingsley did a good job of deflecting those that came too close too his head as he sat on the sofa between Andromeda Tonks and surprise guest Minerva McGonagall, whose lips were pressed into a thin line of disapproval; he bore this all stoically, as was his nature, and the former Hogwarts Headmistress silently rejoiced over her decision to retire the year before Fred and James turned eleven.

Teddy was too busy to aid the four troublemakers with their escapades as he normally did. He and Victoire sat in the corner of the sitting room, surrounded by Hermione, Ginny, Audrey, Percy, Fleur, and Bill, who demanded they be told every last detail about the wedding being planned for next fall. Most became rather misty-eyed when Teddy informed them he'd asked Harry to take the traditional place as the groom's father during the ceremony. Victoire was in a tizzy trying to decide on a color for the bridesmaids gowns that would work with all their varying shades of red hair, from her sister's strawberry blonde to Lily's cherry red and Roxanne's near-burgundy. Gold was always an option, of course, but she was determined to have wedding photographs that couldn't be confused with her mother's.

Of course, all this talk of weddings led to constant ribbing at Molly and Alexander's expense; the pair had been together four and a half years by now, and had been living together in London since they'd left Hogwarts. Based on her conversations with her cousin, Rose thought it to be only a matter of time before they were engaged, though she knew Molly at least wanted to finish her training as an Unspeakable first. As she helped Nana Weasley and the others prepare their traditional, large holiday feast, she kept desperately trying to fend off the older witch's pointed questions about her boyfriend's absence. Ultimately, Molly was cornered as she stirred a large skillet of Brussels sprouts, and Rose and Albus settled in to watch the conversation as they tended to the goose roasting in the oven.

"It's a shame Alexander couldn't be here, he does love my sprouts. Old Prewett family recipe."

Molly, normally good-natured, looked as if she were about to roll her eyes. "He's visiting his cousins across the pond, Nana."

"Right, right, you did mention that," Mrs. Weasley conceded. "Will he be coming for Easter, then? I'll be sure to make sprouts then, too, if he does."

"I'm not sure. He usually stays with his parents in Devon."

"And you usually go with him," the older Molly contested. "And **he** usually comes **here** for Christmas."

"Nana, he only came last year."

"Yes, and that was a lovely tradition to start!"

This time, the younger Molly did roll her eyes. "I'll owl him tomorrow and ask about his plans then, Nana."

Mrs. Weasley smiled and patted her on the arm. "Good girl. It's always good to make **plans** in advance, isn't it? Like how Teddy and Victoire are giving themselves plenty of time to **plan** their **wedding**?"

"Yes, and I'm very happy for them," said Molly as she reached down to poke one of the small vegetables with a fork to see whether they were cooked through. "Marriage is never a decision to be made lightly, after all. Couples should only get engaged when they're sure they're ready for the commitment."

Mrs. Weasley huffily turned her back to her granddaughter, ostensibly to shout instructions to Charlie about the roast potatoes, but quickly twisted back around as she heard the skillet clatter to the floor, wand in hand and a cleaning spell on the tip of her tongue.

She was stopped by Molly's bloodcurdling shrieks.

"Scorpius!" Molly shouted, her voice filled with pure terror. "SCORPIUS, NO! **NO, NO, PLEASE!** " Her voice broke off as she began to cry hysterically, and she crumpled to the floor in a heap.

The words sent a chill straight through Rose's heart. The entire house, which but a moment ago had been abuzz with merry chatter, now fell unnervingly silent, save for Molly's sobs.

Lucy quickly made her way over to her sister, followed closely by Rose, then Albus. Nana Weasley still stood, looking down at her in shock and backing up a bit. Those who had been in the sitting room quickly began to crowd at the kitchen door to see what had happened.

"Molly?" Lucy asked hesitantly. "Molly, what happened? What did you see?"

Molly raised her head from her arms, revealing a red and tear-stained face. She looked straight past her sister, gaze landing instead on Rose. "Rose," she said huskily. "Help. Malfoy Manor."

Rose stood immediately and yanked Al up with her. Her muscles seemed to be acting of their own accord, and she gladly let them take over for a moment; her mind was incapable (or perhaps simply unwilling) to imagine what exactly Molly could have seen in her vision to warrant such a strong reaction. She thought back to her conversation with James through Andrea's enchanted diary the summer before last, where he'd told her about Molly's disastrous trip to visit Professor Flitwick in St. Mungo's. In the vision she'd had there, the professor had died, and James' description of their cousin's reaction wasn't far off from what she was seeing now. Was Scorpius going to… she quickly put a halt to that idea before it could consume her, as she knew it would if she lost control of herself now. How far into the future had Molly seen? Far enough to reach him in time before … something … happened?

She began to try to shove her way into the sitting room to search the room for her grandparents' store of Floo powder. Percy and Audrey pushed their way to the front of the crowd before she could, and knelt down next to their daughter, occupying the space Rose and Albus had just vacated. Molly's mother held her in her arms, stroking her hair soothingly as she continued to cry.

"What's wrong with her?" asked Nana Weasley from the doorway, finally finding her voice. Rose suddenly realized that most of her family had yet to be told about Molly's gift. She supposed it was unavoidable now, though.

Percy seemed to be of the same opinion. "She's a Seer," he said shortly, eliciting a sharp intake of breath from a few. "It appears that there is something wrong at Malfoy Manor, or soon will be."

"How do you know it will be soon?" asked Bill, concern etched in his tone. "She could be seeing years in advance."

Molly had calmed herself enough to speak again, her voice hoarse and thick with tears. "Scorpius looks the same age. And there were Christmas garlands."

The true enormity of Molly's words began to sink in, changing the atmosphere of the room once again. Everyone seemed to be tense with unease, though Rose wasn't sure whether some of their concern was for Scorpius, or if it was reserved for Molly alone. She redoubled her efforts to push her way through to the sitting room, and made it about halfway through the knot of people before throwing her hands up with exasperation. "Oh for Merlin's sake!" the anxiety she felt clear in her voice. "Don't just stand there, the lot of you, I need to get to the Manor!"

Her father took a step to block her path just as others cleared the way. Now it was just the two of them squaring off with one another near the door, surrounded by their staring family members. As they formed a large ring around the pair, they looked to Rose like a gaggle of schoolchildren, watching two of their classmates fight on the playground. She felt the strange urge to laugh at this mental image but suppressed it. How in Rowena's name could she feel like _laughing_ right now? Was she going into hysterics? Scorpius needed her to be focused right now. She forced herself to tack on the phrase _because his life may depend on it_ to the end of that last thought, instantly sobering her as per her intention. "Absolutely not," Ron asserted, arms crossed. "You're not going anywhere."

"Dad, I know you don't like Scorpius, but now isn't the time. He's in danger, and I need to help him."

"Look, even if we were certain that's what's going on, which we're **not** , why would it fall on you to rush into this? I'm sure the _Malfoys_ ," he continued, voice getting louder, his distaste for the surname ringing clearly as he spoke it, "are more than capable of taking care of themselves – Godric knows that's all they did during the War."

"I at least have to go and check, don't I?"

"No, you don't."

"Rose, he may have a point…" contended the eldest Mr. Weasley.

"Then what would you have me do?!" she snapped at both of them, all attempts at rationality failing. She could not, **would** not, calm down enough to explain her reasoning clearly and calmly, not now, when so much could depend on her swift action. Slowly, she felt her composure slipping away between her fingers. "Stay here, enjoy the feast, open some presents and crackers while Scor could be hurt, or d-dying?" Her voice choked a bit on the last word. She could hear a fresh wave of sobs from Molly begin, infuriating her all the more. If they didn't get out of her way soon… Merlin help them all. "Do all the rest of you agree, then?" she asked accusingly, turning about in a circle to stare down each and every one of her family members. Most met her gaze evenly, startled but supportive, though a few such as George and her grandfather lowered their eyes. "Should I just let the Malfoys take care of whatever's going on, when it was enough to make Molly **cry** , when my boyfriend and Albus' best mate could be **dying** ," (there was no hesitation on the word, now), "because of some stupid blood feud that happened between our families before the pair of us were even born?!"

"He might not be in danger!" Ron shouted. "All she said was 'Scorpius, no!' Maybe **he's** the one doing something that needs to be stopped!"

Rose lost what little control she'd held over herself. For the first time in her life, she understood what it meant to see red. "THAT. IS. ENOUGH! HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU, DAD! I AM SO SICK AND TIRED OF YOU JUDING SCORPIUS, AND ME BY EXTENSION, JUST BECAUSE HE'S A MALFOY! YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT HIM, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! YOU REFUSE TO TAKE THE TIME OR ENERGY TO GET TO KNOW HIM, AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I THINK YOU'RE JUST SCARED THAT IF YOU DO, YOU'LL REALIZE HOW STUPID YOU'VE BEEN TO HATE HIM BECAUSE OF YOUR LUDICROUS, SMALL-MINDED, PIGHEADED PREJUDICE! BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, THAT YOU COULD HATE ABOUT HIM IF YOU KNEW HIM LIKE ALBUS AND I DO. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I LOVE HIM! THAT'S RIGHT, I'M IN LOVE WITH SCORPIUS HYPERION MALFOY! AND MERLIN'S PANTS, I HOPE WE GET MARRIED SOME DAY, IF NOTHING ELSE SO I CAN TAKE THAT SURNAME YOU **DESPISE** , AND LIVE IN THEIR HOUSE, AND SEAL MY LETTERS TO YOU WITH THEIR CREST! BECAUSE MAYBE **THAT** MIGHT FINALLY CONVINCE YOU THAT NOT ALL MALFOYS ARE CRIMINALS! JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T LIKE SOMEONE'S FAMILY DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE EVIL! IF HE HADN'T SAVED MY LIFE IN THE FORBIDDEN FOREST – "

She cut herself off abruptly, and the room became silent, save for the sound of Molly crying. "The Forbidden Forest," she whispered. "And Fortescue's, in Diagon Alley." Thoughts, like puzzle pieces, were sliding quickly into place into her mind, and Rose suddenly realized just what sort of danger Scorpius was in; she felt it with a chilling, bone-deep certainty that was simply irrefutable. "The notes, the notes didn't have a name. _Your father's actions will be paid for in your blood._ THEY DIDN'T SAY THE FATHER'S NAME! THOSE ATTACKS WERE MEANT FOR SCORPIUS THE WHOLE TIME, AL AND I WERE JUST IN THE WAY!"

The room grew quiet. Rose could tell most of her family hadn't followed her racing thoughts, but once again she found herself incapable of slowing down to explain rationally. "I – what?" Ron stammered, anger momentarily forgotten.

"She's suggesting someone might have been trying to get revenge on the Malfoys this whole time, instead of us," said Roxanne. "And I, for one, think that makes a right bit more sense than any other theory we've had in the past two years. All along we've just been assuming we were the targets of some Death Eater who got away because of who we are…but you don't need to be a known Dark wizard to do dark things, do you?"

"That's **rubbish** -"

It was then that her Uncle Harry mercifully intervened, stepping between father and daughter. Rose thanked Merlin that he, at least, seemed to understand if not agree with the revelation she'd just had. "It's possible," he said simply in a clear, quiet voice that carried across the kitchen. "It's not something my department explored, and it would explain why we couldn't find a match on the wand signature from those curses, if they aren't on any of our lists-"

"YOU'RE SIDING WITH HER?!" Ron exploded.

"Shut **up** , Ron!" Hermione retorted, exasperated.

He knew better than to argue with his wife.

"Molly?" Harry called over to her calmly as he remained standing between Rose and Ron. "What did you see, love?"

"Some man was h-hurting S-scorpius," she managed to stutter between sobs. "But I didn't see his f-face. I'm s-sorry!"

Lucy, Percy, and Audrey all consoled her at this, reassuring her that none of what was happening was her fault. Rose felt guilty that she'd lost control of her temper like that, when it had likely contributed to her cousin's apparent misery.

"Maybe we should send an owl," reasoned Angelina. "It wouldn't do to go barging into Malfoy Manor if they're sitting around the fire having a cuppa."

"An owl will take too long," replied Harry.

"Rose, how do you usually talk to Scorpius?" Hermione interjected. "Without owls, I mean."

"Journals," she replied. "Enchanted journals. James made them."

"Is it fast? Does he usually reply right away?"

Rose nodded, relieved that at last they seemed to be getting somewhere; she pointedly ignored the dirty looks her father was shooting her now that he realized she'd been writing Scorpius all summer without his knowing. James also didn't look too pleased to have his name brought to his uncle's attention at the moment. "He keeps it in his pocket, and it grows warm when I write to him. Usually he replies in a few seconds, a few minutes at most."

"Did you bring it here with you?" asked Al, who had joined her in the middle of this impromptu circle without her noticing.

"Yes, it's upstairs, in Aunt Ginny's old room."

"I'll fetch it, I know what they look like," said Andrea, already dashing up the steps in her eagerness to be helpful.

"It's purple!" she shouted up to the Gryffindor girl.

"Your favorite color?" Ron asked, seemingly startled, as if the thought hadn't occurred to him that Scorpius and Rose talked about other things besides their blood status and snogging.

"Yes, well, as my boyfriend, and best friend besides, he does know me rather well," Rose said dryly, to which she received no reply.

Andrea rushed back into the room and pushed her way through the throng to where Rose stood in its center. "Here," she said, panting slightly, and held it out, along with a self-inking quill.

Rose took it gratefully, and for a moment their eyes locked. And suddenly, just like that, their precarious relationship shifted back into a comfortable balance. Apparently, all it took was the threat of catastrophe to set things right between them. She filed this away in the back of her mind to ponder later, once more pressing matters had been resolved.

She opened the book to its middle binding and hastily thumbed past the pages they'd already filled with conversation. Finally, after what felt like an age, and with everyone's eyes upon her, Rose finally found one that was blank.

"Scorpius?" she hastily scrawled. "Are you alright?"

If the Malfoys were indeed, as Aunt Angelina had said, sitting around the fire and having a cup of tea, this question would undoubtedly strike him as odd. She prayed silently that a witty retort would appear on the page in his elegant, familiar scrawl.

The kitchen-full of Weasleys held their collective breath.

But there was nothing. Nothing happened, no writing appeared. Full-fledged panic now began to bloom in Rose's chest, growing with each passing second.

Finally, the feeling became unbearable, and she broke the silence with a choked voice: "I have to go to Malfoy Manor. He's not answering, I can't bear to wait any longer, I have to make sure he's alright."

"It's only been a few minutes-" her father started.

"Ron, it can't hurt to look, can it?" asked Ginny.

All at once, everyone turned to look at the man who always felt he'd lived in his brothers' shadows, and found that even now he was unable to defend his (flawed) opinions to his family. Rose was proud to see that even her grandfather and Uncle George, both of whom had appeared to support her father when the argument had first begun, had switched sides. "Fine," he relented. "Someone should go check on the…" he swallowed, "Malfoys." He turned to look as his daughter. "But is it too much to ask that you stay here?"

"Yes," she replied shortly; the anxiety she felt was causing her to hyperventilate, leaving her feeling ironically breathless. "It is too much. I know the Manor better than anyone here, and believe me, there was a steep learning curve. I need to be there."

"What about Albus?"

"I've only been there once," said Albus firmly, "and I was constantly getting lost on my way to the loo, let alone the rest of the house. It needs to be Rose, Uncle Ron. I'd be more than willing to go with her, of course-"

"No," said Harry, "it's probably best if we don't overwhelm them if there isn't a problem, and if there is… it'll be easier to look after one teenager than two."

Ron seemed to breathe a sigh of relief at this, and Rose realized that part of his reluctance to let her go was out of concern. Not that it excused his actions by any stretch, of course… but it would make them a bit easier to forgive, later. "You'll go with her, then?"

Harry seemed to snort at this. "Did you really think I would let my niece go into something like this alone?"

Ginny flashed a thin smile. "Didn't you do something rather like this when we were her age? You seemed set on going alone then…and look how well that almost turned out, even with us there."

"Yes, well, hopefully this will turn out to be a mistake, too," he replied. "And this time, there won't be a group of Death Eaters waiting for us to show up, hiding in the dark behind a row of prophecies. No one will be expecting us, we only know something may be wrong thanks to Molly." He turned to Rose. "Got your wand?"

She nodded and swallowed, which the lump in her throat made difficult.

"Then we'd best be off."

The Weasleys moved to clear the pair's path to the sitting room. Harry led Rose to the fireplace, then stuck his hand into the small ceramic pot on the mantle filled with Floo powder. He threw a pinch of it into the flames, and watched as they turned emerald green. Rose stepped over the grate first, casting a small Impervius Charm so soot didn't fall in her eyes, hair, or mouth; what the Ministry of Magic didn't know couldn't hurt her, or them.

"Hold onto me," murmured her uncle as he entered beside her. She obediently clutched at the sleeve of his robe with numb fingers. "No matter what happens, Rosie, you stay close to me, understand? If anything goes wrong, you stay with me. Keep your wand out, and just focus on what needs to be done as best you can."

She nodded again. A kind of coldness was settling over her, easing the panic back to a manageable level. The worried thoughts of what could be happening to Scorpius all clamoring for her attention grew mercifully quiet, replaced with lists of defensive spells, jinxes, counter-curses, and the potions she'd carried with her since the attack in Diagon Alley – they were now in the small drawstring purse she carried, their glass vials clinking together as she shifted the bag onto her shoulder. By now she knew that fighting didn't come naturally to her, as it did to Scorpius and to Uncle Harry, but she trusted she could hold her own if the situation called for it… which it very well might, once they left the Burrow. The emotional fallout would be dealt with later, once all was said and done. Now, it was time for action.

"Malfoy Manor," said Harry, making sure to speak loudly and enunciate. All at once, the Burrow's sitting room, along with the pale, worried faces of their family, disappeared.


	34. Chapter 34

So, I hope that cliffhanger didn't make you all hate me too much. But I promised I'd update in under a week, and here it is! But be careful what you wish for…..

Once again, thank you for all the reviews, favorites, follows, and PMs (over 100 favorites?! my head is still spinning). The love and support you guys continually show me is amazing.

 **magikmagpie:** Thank you, I really appreciate it! And while I think Cursed Child probably did come across better on stage, the format didn't really bother me, thanks to my familiarity with reading plays from a few college courses I've taken. What really bothered me were the continuity errors that contradicted the established canon. I won't go into too much detail here, in case people haven't read it yet…but all I can say is yikes.

 **EmeraldSeaLion:** Thank you for the defense!

Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, Drarry would have been canon.

* * *

 **Chapter 34**

 **Sixth Year, Part Four**

The first thing Rose noticed about the drawing room was its darkness. Candles with flickering silver and gold flames provided the only source of light, apart from the emerald green fire which sprang to life to accommodate their arrival and disappeared once they'd stepped out from under the mantle. Their small halos did little to illuminate the room's shadowy corners and crevices, one of which she knew contained the glass case that held the few Dark artifacts Draco had not parted with after Astoria died. The metallic points of light caught the room's grand holiday decorations oddly, making the enchanted icicles hanging from the doorframe eerily luminescent, and causing the shattered remnants of antique tree ornaments littering the hardwood floor to glisten. Rose remembered how they had hovered just over her head when she and Al had visited last Christmas, like small, ornate hot air balloons, and she wondered what could have caused them to fall and break…apart from the death of the Levitation Charm's caster. It was disquieting to think that the hands which had so lovingly decorated this room might now be cold and still. The atmosphere of the room certainly lent itself to that assumption - something was clearly amiss at Malfoy Manor, and the effect was unnerving.

At this thought, Rose sank down into the leather armchair Scorpius had greeted her from when she first visited the house. "Uncle Harry, what's happened?" she asked quietly as she moved to cover her face with her hands.

He crouched to examine a shard of a broken ornament. "Nothing good," he responded honestly. He stood, and began to wave his wand in complex patterns she assumed were meant to test for lingering curses. "We should start checking the rooms one by one, and quietly. If anyone else-"

He was cut off by the scream of someone in unendurable pain, echoing through the big, empty house from a few floors above them. It was horrible and raw, and the voice was achingly familiar.

Rose's blood felt as if it had turned cold, sending goosebumps along her arms as she froze in her seat, hands gripping the chair's sides so that her knuckles turned white. Her stomach turned, and for a moment she would have sworn she was about to vomit. " _Scorpius_ ," she moaned. "Molly was right, Molly was right…"

Harry quickly pulled her to her feet. "Let's go," he said in a low tone. "How do we get upstairs, Rose?"

"I- I don't, I can't think-"

Another long, drawn-out cry.

Harry grabbed both her hands in his and bent down to look her straight on. "Rose, look at me," he said, forcing her to meet his gaze. His green eyes showed concern, but betrayed no hint of fear. "I know it's hard, but I need you to focus. You know this house better than me. He needs you. He needs us. Let's go find him."

She squeezed his hands and drew a deep, shuddering breath. "Okay. Okay. Upstairs. Right. Follow me."

Releasing herself from his grip, she made sure her bag was secured firmly on her shoulder, then pulled out her wand and whispered _"Lumos"_ to light its tip. She led him out the drawing room's only door, bits of the broken ornaments crunching beneath her trainers as she tried not to step on them and failed. They headed down a spacious hallway with carpeted floors and portraits of generations of Malfoy ancestors hanging on the walls. It appeared the light outage was not confined to the drawing room, as the corridor and each room they passed were black as pitch. She made a left as the hall split, bringing them past a doorway barred by large boards nailed across it. Neither one said it, but both Rose and Harry realized that this was the parlor, the room Hermione Granger had been tortured in by Bellatrix Lestrange when she was seventeen.

Soon after, once they'd made two right turns, the pair passed a silver knife, buried up to the hilt in what appeared to be the oak paneling of a solid wall. This was surely one of the weapons Lucius Malfoy had charmed in a fit of rage after learning his grandson had spent a part of the holidays in the home of The Boy Who Lived, which the Malfoys had been unable to remove.

Scorpius screamed again. Every inch of her body rebelled against the sound, but she pressed onward with her beech wand outstretched, her mouth set in a tight line and the nails of her empty hand pressing hard enough into her palm to draw blood.

They soon reached the Manor's main receiving hall, which contained an ornate staircase of black marble twisting in a spiral around a very large chandelier, made from what were probably real diamonds and emeralds that sparkled in the light of their wands. As she led her uncle up the stairs, she wondered how they would determine what floor they needed to get to. When they had ascended several flights, however, and Rose was just beginning to wonder whether they'd passed the correct one, that question was answered. Narcissa Malfoy lay dead on the fourth floor landing, arms outstretched and bent at awkward angles. Her blue eyes stared up at the ceiling, blank and lifeless, reflecting the light of their illuminated wand tips. Her lipstick-coated mouth was bared in a scream, snowy white hair spilling out from its neat bun to surround her head. Rose looked away hastily as they passed, but knew she would never be able to purge her mind of the image, just as she would never be able to forget the sound of her boyfriend's cries. Harry's hand found hers for a moment and gave it a tight squeeze.

" _Crucio!_ " they heard a raspy voice yell.

There was another piercing sound of agony that made Rose feel physically ill. Still, she began to lead her uncle down the fourth floor hall, which was rather small and contained only a few guest rooms and a study, the latter of which the noise seemed to be coming from.

"Please!" they heard Draco Malfoy yell. His voice was filled with a panic and desperation Rose hadn't known the man was capable of. "Please, it's me you want, just leave him, please just leave him alone!"

"Of course, I would go easier on him if you would stop trying to defend your father. I will find him eventually, with or without your help."

By now they stood outside the study's closed door, behind which the argument they heard was taking place.

"I swear, I don't know where he is! I swear on the grave of my wife, and – and my mother, I don't know where he is! Just spare my son, and I can try to find him, just take me, don't hurt him-"

"You will die when it is your time, and trust me, that time is very nearly here," replied the voice. "But first, you must suffer just a little bit longer. You must watch as you lose everything you hold dear, Draco Malfoy, just as I have. _Crucio!_ "

Then came the most horrible, heart-wrenching scream yet, and Rose moved to open the door, but Harry grabbed her wrist; he tugged her gently to the side so that they had switched places and he was poised to enter the room first. "No, stay out here, Rose," he whispered. "You've done your part."

He twisted the doorknob and burst through the doorway as Scorpius' cry tapered off to a sob. Rose peered out around his shoulder to observe the scene in front of them. Mr. Malfoy sat in the corner, silver ropes of light binding his arms to his sides and knees to his chest, obviously cutting into his flesh as he strained and struggled to be freed. Scorpius lay in front of the lit fireplace, unmoving, save for the slight rise of his chest as he breathed. All she could see of his head was his platinum hair - his face was turned away from the door. Above him loomed a tall, white-haired man, bent over with age, pointing a crooked old wand at his chest.

The man looked up in surprise as Harry entered, and in doing so brought his face out from the shadow and into the light of the fire. Rose gasped. She hadn't expected to recognize Scorpius' captor, let alone have met him on several occasions; she hadn't thought this kind of act could possibly be committed by even one of her most distant acquaintances. Still, his crooked nose and piercing hazel eyes were unmistakable, and Rose hardly ever forgot a face: she was looking at Theodore Bones. Rose prided herself on being a good judge of character, but when she had met this man at Professor Flitwick's funeral, and again after the Quidditch World Cup, she had felt only sympathy for the great loss he had suffered in the War with the death of his wife, extended relations, and daughter Susan…though she recalled Andy had mentioned he greatly unsettled her.

"Put your wand down, Theodore," Harry said in a low, authoritative tone. "Don't make things harder on yourself. Release Draco, step away from Scorpius, and the Wizengamont will show you mercy."

"I don't care about _mercy_ ," the older man spat, his face twisting on the word as if it were a curse. "I want **_justice_** , since no one in our precious Ministry seems to be willing to give it to me. Even you, The Boy Who Lived, stand here and defend them. Your niece," he said, gesturing to the bit of Rose's vibrant hair that was visible as she poked her head out around her uncle's elbow, "is the young one's girlfriend. I saw them when I brought flower arrangements to the funeral of Astoria Greengrass: the daughter of Dumbledore's heroes, comforting the son of the damned."

"So what if I care for him?!" Rose shouted from behind her uncle, though he tried to shush her. "He's kind and gentle and **good** , better than you will ever be!"

Mr. Bones gave a sad smile at this that gave her chills; it was clear that the man was truly, utterly certain that what he was said was the truth. There would be no convincing him to surrender, no talking him down with words of reason or compassion. This night would only end when he was incapacitated, or they were. "My dear, some day you'll realize that by ending the lives of these two, I will have done a service to the wizard world. I realized when I saw you two together that if I wanted justice for the destruction of my family, I would have to seek it myself – the snakes had wound themselves too tightly around those in power like yourselves to ever be dealt with by the law. Not that I blame you, of course, Rose. How were you to know that they were using you, manipulating you for their own gain? I regret that my attempts on his life hurt you, and Albus, but you were simply too close to him for me to get a good shot. But you know what they say – the third time's the charm."

"It's not too late to end this, Theodore," Harry spoke again after the man had seemed to have his say. "Do you think this is what Susan, what your family, would want for you? Killing someone…it splits your soul. Especially when you murder the innocent."

"There's nothing innocent about anyone who bears the last name 'Malfoy'," he rebutted. "You killed the Dark Lord, Molly Weasley killed Bellatrix Lestrange, Flitwick took down Dolohov…I'm merely finishing the job you started all those years ago.

"It's a pity, I had hoped to end the Malfoy line tonight, so that no family would ever have to suffer what I have suffered at their hands. Perhaps I even would have had time to take down the Macnairs next, or the Notts, or the Zabinis. I suppose these two will have to be enough."

He brandished his wand, pointing it at Draco. As his lips began to form the words _"Avada Kedavra_ ," a jet of scarlet light burst from the end of Harry's wand. It connected with Mr. Bones', flinging it high up into the air. Rose darted out from behind her uncle to catch it, but froze when she saw that Theodore was stooping over the weak Scorpius, forcing the contents of a shimmering glass vial down his throat. Her heart felt as if it had stopped. Two wands fell to the carpet: that of Mr. Bones, and her own as it slid out from her sweaty palm.

Rose rushed forward, ignoring her uncle's protests as he hurried after her. Before she could reach them, Theodore Bones drained the rest of the potion in one long swig and crumpled to the ground beside her boyfriend's body. She fell to the floor on Scorpius' other side, pulling his head into her lap so his silver-blonde hair spilled out onto her dark skirt. Staring down at his pale face, she saw his grey-blue eyes were half-closed, the dark purple rings beneath lending them a gaunt look. The veins on his face began to stand out more prominently as the poison took effect. Blood trickled from his nose in a steadily growing stream.

Scorpius' eyes met hers, as if he had just now noticed she was holding him. "Rosie," he whispered hoarsely, extending a hand upwards that she caught with one of her own. His breathing became labored. "I love you."

"Don't you dare, Scor. Don't you dare say it like that." Tears pricked at her eyes, and the room suddenly felt as if it were too hot. She wanted to scream, to cry, to throw up, to faint, to wake up from this horrible dream, because Scorpius couldn't really be dying in her arms right now. It was impossible, something her mind could not process. But she forced the nausea, the weakness growing in her limbs, the sensation in her chest that made her feel as if she were drowning, to the back of her mind.

She could sense her uncle hovering behind her protectively without saying a word, giving the couple space, but standing at attention. Harry's lack of action added to the sense of hopelessness she already felt – he didn't know a way to save Scorpius either, or he would doing it. The silence confirmed what she already knew: poisons couldn't be cured with spells.

Rose stared at a blank stretch of wall and wracked her brains, desperate for a way, any way, to save him. The bitter adrenaline coursing through her veins, pumped by her racing heart, allowed her mind to work faster, but still she could come up with no solution. Her gaze jerked back to focus on Scorpius as he began to cough, blood leaking from the corners of his mouth, fighting to keep his eyes open. The grey-blue color of his irises shone in the firelight, open and vulnerable, contrasting greatly with the blackish tint that was beginning to spread through the whites. "Oh come on, what good is ' _argutia supra mensum_ ' if I can't find a way to save someone I love?" she murmured brokenly, absently fingering the ring with the Ravenclaw crest that Albus had given her last Christmas. She saw that Scorpius was wearing his as well, and its copper metal shone in the light of the fire.

A thought suddenly occurred to her, as if some small voice, separate from her own, had quietly spoken in the back of her mind:

Black tint? What could cause his eyes to turn black?

Closing her eyes for a moment, Rose thought back to a passage from one of the advanced Potions books she'd been given over the years. She could see the page in front of her with uncanny clarity, feel the thick parchment and leather binding beneath her fingertips. As if the book was open in front of her, Rose began to read off the important paragraph:

 _Angel's Trumpet Draught, also known as Essence of Thorn Apple, has been used by witches and wizards in the United Kingdom for centuries, as the Angel's Trumpet flower grows wild only in select parts of the moors and countryside. It takes thirty-four days to brew, requires expensive ingredients such as aconite and nazel powder, and has very low yield, making it unpopular in most circles. Still, it is used among the elite for political assassinations, as it is fast-acting, lethal, and nearly irreversible. Only a quick administration of an infusion of equal parts Moondew and Sal Ammoniac can reverse its deadly effects, most distinguishable of which is the pigmentation of the whites of victim's eyes with a dark brown or black color._

Rose's eyes flew open. Scorpius was still staring at her, though the spark of life in his eyes was slowly growing fainter as the black of the poison spread like ink across them. She released her grip on his cold hand, though his was still outstretched, grasping for hers. Her fingers felt numb as they fumbled at the strings of her bag; she managed to pull it open by ripping apart its thin fabric at the seams. The large store of potions she'd been brewing over the years clattered to the floor. Mercifully, none of them shattered, though a few rolled away, out of immediate reach. Harry quickly bent to pick one up that had landed at his feet. "Rose, what-"

"Help me," said Rose, teeth gritted, as she hastily sorted through the vials. "Look for one that says Moondew and Sal Ammoniac. I know it's in here, but I forget what it looks like!" Harry knelt beside her and began to scan through the labels of vials she had not had a chance to examine. Scorpius' breaths had turned to gasps, his coughs growing louder and bringing up more blood, which began to cover the front of his jumper as well as Rose's. She glanced at him quickly and saw that his skin had grown still paler, and his eyes were now closed tightly.

Suddenly, Draco ran at them from across the room, coming to a stop at his son's side. Tears rolled freely down his cheeks as he reached to catch Scorpius' extended hand, his sobs echoing loudly through the otherwise silent room. Rose realized Mr. Bones must have just died, thereby freeing Mr. Malfoy of his bonds. She redoubled her efforts to find the vial with the antidote – if Bones was already gone, Scorpius could die at any moment.

Finally, her hands closed on a watery, pale lavender potion. Some part of her knew without reading the label that this was it. Before she could remove the stopper, it flew out of its own accord. It had been a long time since Rose's emotions had overcome so that a burst of wandless magic escaped, but the intensity of the fear and love and desperation that were waging a war inside her had created a force too great to be contained.

With shaking hands, she raised the vial to Scorpius' blue lips, smearing the blood that had gathered on his mouth and chin. For a moment there was no response, and a sharp pain exploded in her chest as she realized she might be too late to save him. "Scor, look at me," she pleaded. "Please, look at me." His nightmarish eyes opened once more, now completely covered in black except for the grey-blue rings around his pupil, whose unique color she had committed to memory long ago. "Drink this." He struggled to swallow, but managed to choke the potion down without coughing it up.

The antidote's effects were immediate. Scorpius' eyes began to return to their normal white, his veins becoming less prominent, skin losing its deathly pale hue. Draco's sobs turned to disbelieving tears of joy. Harry crowded next to him so that the three formed a circle around the boy who had been brought back from the brink of death. Theodore's body lay next to the fireplace, shoved out of the way, promptly forgotten.

Rose clasped Scorpius' hands in her own as Draco relinquished his hold so that he could use both arms to hug his son, getting blood all down the front of his expensive white shirt but not even noticing. She let the tears flow freely, now – there was no need to keep it bottled up any longer. He was safe. He was going to live. "I love you too," she said, too far gone to care that her Harry and Draco could hear her. "But Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, if you ever scare me like that again, I will bring you back and kill you myself."

He smiled up at her, a weak flicker of the child-like grin she could no longer imagine her life without. "I guess we're even, then."


	35. Chapter 35

Hey everyone! In case you couldn't tell from the extended delay between this update and the last one, my classes have started for the semester and I've gone back to being a full-time student. The good news is that I already have part of the next one written, so hopefully I'll be able to finish out 6th year within a reasonable period of time! Thank you once again to all you wonderful folks out there who keep reading; your reviews, favs, follows and PMs mean the world to me!

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 35**

 **Sixth Year, Part Five**

Rose awoke suddenly as she heard Scorpius cry out from the room down the hall. For one long moment, she feared they were both back at Malfoy Manor, Scorpius being tortured upstairs and her racing through the house with Uncle Harry to save him. She began to hyperventilate, clutching the blankets to her chest… _blankets_. No, they weren't at the Manor; they were safe. Now that the moment of disorientation had passed, Rose remembered how they had Apparated back to the Burrow, how she and Scorpius had been sent upstairs to sleep in empty guest rooms as Harry brought Draco to the Ministry to give a report on the crimes committed against his family. Though she would have preferred it if her uncle had stayed with them until morning, it gave her comfort to know that half of her family had remained and now sat in the kitchen below them, too worried and shaken by the night's events to sleep. As she'd prepared for bed, washing Scorpius' blood off her hands and face and changing into a baggy t-shirt that hung down to her knees and had once belonged to her father, she'd heard her uncle and Mr. Malfoy recount the story of what had happened at the Manor. From this, she learned Mr. Bones had gained entry to the house in the early evening under the guise of delivering an arrangement of poinsettias from his shop. Once he had overwhelmed the family and murdered Narcissa, he'd moved onto Scorpius in order to cause Draco as much pain as possible, and to get information on Lucius' whereabouts. Rose had resolved to make sure Molly, who'd been sent home hours ago with her mother and sister, would never hear how much Scorpius had suffered before she'd had her vision, lest she feel unnecessarily guilty. Though Rose obviously wished she'd had her vision sooner, she knew her cousin couldn't control when she got them or what she saw, and was grateful she'd seen anything at all. Draco had said it was only a matter of time before both he and Scorpius would have died like Narcissa.

Rose had thought she would be tossing and turning all night, staring at the wall or ceiling, unable to close her eyes, but she'd been mistaken; once her head had hit the pillow she'd succumbed quickly to the overwhelming mental and physical exhaustion she felt. Thankfully, she'd fallen into a deep, dreamless sleep, the kind she often had after late nights of studying and Quidditch practice – her brain was simply too drained to do anything other than rest, though she feared she'd have nightmares in the days and weeks to come. It seemed Scorpius had also managed to fall asleep, though his rest was far less peaceful than hers had been. She heard him shout again down the hall. Without pausing to reflect on what she was doing, Rose swung out her legs from under the covers, wincing as the cold night air stung her bare skin. The carpet was rather cool beneath her bare feet as she grabbed her wand off the nightstand and quietly walked to the door, but thankfully it wasn't as icy as wood or tile would have been.

The door's hinges squeaked a bit as she opened it, and she glanced down the hall in both directions to see whether anyone had come to investigate. She heard voices coming from downstairs, but they continued their conversation without interruption, and she assumed they had not heard Scorpius' muffled cries, or the sounds of her late-night wandering. Rose crept down the corridor quickly, pausing outside the room that had once belonged to Bill Weasley, to listen and see whether her boyfriend settled down. He hadn't; she could hear him moaning and tossing about in his sleep, occasionally saying things like "no" or "please." It was clear what he was dreaming about.

Should she knock? It would certainly be the proper thing to do…but then again, she'd never much cared about propriety. And it might be better for him to wake with a gentle hand on the shoulder than a sharp knock at the door. She knew he was, well, _clothed_ \- Charlie had loaned him a clean pair of pajamas kept around for when he visited from Romania. And she'd seen him sleeping before, on the occasions he'd passed out while studying in the common room and she'd covered him with a blanket. He and Albus had even carried her to her own room when she'd done the same, and he'd sat in her hospital bed with her for hours after her near-death experience in the Forbidden Forest…but still, this felt different.

She rapped at the door hesitantly. "Scorpius?" she called softly. "Scorpius, are you alright?"

He couldn't hear her – he continued to thrash around in the bed, crying out incoherently as he relived the ordeal he'd just gone through.

Rose squared her shoulders and opened the door, closing it behind her softly. She walked across the room with more confidence than she felt, stopping when she'd reached the head of the bed. She was startled by how pale he was, making the dark circles under his eyes stand out even more prominently. His skin was covered in a thin sheen of sweat, and Rose wondered guiltily how long he'd been having this nightmare before she'd finally woken up. Normally, his face became peaceful when he slept in a way it seldom was when he was awake: the worry lines permanently etched in his face turned smooth, the corner of his mouth turned upwards in a half-smile…. that certainly wasn't the case now. His brow was furrowed, his teeth bit into his lip hard enough to draw blood, and his fingers clutched the coverlet like it was a life preserver that would pull him ashore. Ever so gently, she knelt down on the floor next to the bed and put her hand to his shoulder, giving him a slight shake. "Scorpius, she whispered.

He woke immediately at her touch and sat up with a start, knocking away her arm in the process, gasping as if he'd been running for miles. His arms wrapped around his middle, where Rose noticed a bit of blood seeping out from under his hands through the shirt he wore; he must have torn open a wound, sitting up so violently. Rose hadn't known he'd received any physical injuries at his captor's hands, and it made her strangely angry. Surely the Cruciatus Curse had hurt him more than a few cuts in his side, and he'd nearly died from the poison he'd been forced to drink, but seeing the sight of his blood in the dim moonlight somehow made it all feel even more frightening. His eyes held a dazed look, and it was clear that for a moment he still believed he was at Malfoy Manor, just as she had when she'd first woken up. She touched him again, hesitantly, so that he would notice her presence. He flinched and turned to face her, his shoulder tense under hand before he recognized her. "Rosie?" Scorpius asked in a choked, disbelieving voice.

"I'm right here," she replied softly.

He half-fell off the bed in his rush to get to her and landed on his knees roughly, causing him to visibly wince in pain, though he seemed to hardly notice. The sheets tumbled to the floor as they tangled around his feet. She wrapped her arms around him as he pressed his face to her chest while he cried, stroking his hair with one hand and hugging him to her with the other. A bit of the blood running from the open wound began to soak the front of her father's t-shirt, and she wondered what he would think if he knew that the Chudley Cannon's logo was slowly being obscured by the blood and tears of a Malfoy.

It hurt to see Scorpius, her Scorpius, like this; she felt a deep ache settle in her ribcage, and desperately wished she could remove his pain. But in a way, it was much easier to comfort him this time than it had been before. He wasn't trying to bottle anything up or pretend it hadn't happened like he had when his mother had died. There was no need to make him laugh to get him to cry, so he could experience the emotions he was feeling and, eventually, heal. She didn't have to lie and say everything would be alright, that she would protect him and no one would ever hurt him again like she had before with Hugo, because they had both grown up and knew that wasn't the way the world worked. She didn't have to struggle to find the right words to say, because there was nothing **to** say. All she had to do was be there, holding him, anchoring him to the present as he remembered the horrors of a few hours ago.

Eventually, after what could have been minutes or hours, the tears stopped flowing. They sat there for a bit longer, not moving save for the rise and fall of their chests as they breathed. Neither felt the need to speak; they knew each other well enough to be comfortable with - even reassured by - the silence between them, for it said far more than words ever could. After Rose was certain he had calmed down significantly, she pulled away from him a bit and moved the hand she'd been running through his silvery hair toward his stomach, giving him plenty of time to object to her touch. When he didn't react, she gently raised his shirt up to his ribs so she could see the cut he'd been given, and inhaled sharply when she saw the multitude of scars that were now spread over his torso. She was sad to see that this night had marked him in more ways than one. Most looked as if they had already been healed, probably by her grandmother, and she quickly spotted the one that had re-opened. She picked up her wand from where she'd discarded it on the floor, and held the tip of it to the source of the blood. "Vulnera Sanentur," she whispered, and the wound sealed shut once more. It reassured her, knowing she'd been able to repair a small bit of the damage done to him. "Terego," and the blood that had collected on his side and their clothing disappeared. She put her wand back down next to her, since her improvised nightgown didn't have any pockets.

"Thank you," he said quietly, and she knew he was referring to more than just the healing spells.

"Of course," she replied simply. After a pause, she continued, "But we should get you back in bed. The cold air can't be helping the soreness. It takes time to recover from…from the…" She didn't have to say Cruciatus aloud for him to understand. He nodded, his expression rueful, so she released her grip on him and rose, offering a hand to help him up. They stood together for a minute as Scorpius rested his cheek on the top of her head; her ear was pressed up against his chest, and the steady rhythm of his heart eased the tension she felt, just as it always did. Once the moment had passed, Rose helped him straighten the blankets on his bed and aided him in laying back down once she realized how difficult it was for him to move. She kissed him briefly and brushed her hand across his cheek, then made to leave the room, but he caught her wrist before she could.

"Can you…would you stay? Please?"

Rose hesitated. She wanted to, of course. Hopefully, her presence would help him to sleep soundly. At the very least she'd be able to soothe him if he woke up from another nightmare. And it would be a comfort to her as well, feeling him next to her, warm and alive and **there**. But once again, she couldn't help but think of the impropriety of her actions. Her dad would go mental if he knew… It wouldn't be like **that** , of course- it was the furthest thing from either of their minds right now. But still…

Screw propriety, she decided. Her boyfriend had been tortured and injured, had watched his grandmother die, and had nearly died himself. He needed her, and she would be there for him, no matter what her family or anyone else might think. She'd always thought he possessed a quiet kind of strength, though he rarely put on display for others to see. It had shone through as he'd slowly come to terms with his mother's death, when he'd saved her life in the Forbidden Forest, when he'd stood up to his grandfather about his House and his choice of friends…and in the little moments, too. He had comforted her in the Potters' kitchen on the night Albus was attacked, though he had been nearly as terrified as her. And she couldn't help but remember when he'd moved to put himself between her and Albus and the creature that appeared in the Great Hall during Lily's Sorting, before they'd realized it was something harmless of James' and Fred's creation. And tonight…she couldn't even begin to fathom the amount of strength it had taken him not to lose himself to the pain. The Sorting Hat had seriously considered placing Rose in Gryffindor, and yet she wasn't sure whether she could deal with that kind of fear and agony and make it through while remaining herself. And now, the man who'd always had trouble telling others what he wanted or needed, and who had never failed to put her wellbeing before his own, was being brave enough to ask for her help to sleep through the rest of the night. If her family couldn't understand why she felt she had to be there for him, it was their problem, not hers.

The bedsprings creaked as she eased herself onto the mattress, careful not to bump up against Scorpius' body for fear of hurting him. She put her back to him and made to leave plenty of space between them, but he moved so he was pressed against her, curled around her smaller form. "Won't this hurt you, if you're so close?" she asked. Not that she minded the position he'd chosen, of course.

"I'll manage," he murmured. His arm snaked around her waist lightly, as if he wanted to reassure himself that she was still there. She smiled slightly in the dark as he kissed her red curls before closing his eyes; he'd grown to be so different from the little eleven-year-old boy she'd met on the Hogwarts Express, who hadn't understood affection and hadn't liked to be touched.

* * *

Lucius Malfoy's attendance of Narcissa's funeral was somewhat unexpected; though his son and grandson had hoped he would be present, neither had received a response to their letters informing him of the loss. Rather than sit with the rest of the family, he chose to stand a bit behind the rest of the mourners as his wife's life was eulogized and her body placed in the tomb. If Draco or Scorpius had hoped for a tearful reunion and reconciliation, they were sorely disappointed. Rose suspected the cause of Narcissa's death was one large contributing factor; she saw all too well how Lucius could place the blame for it squarely on his son's shoulders, as Draco had not been able to protect her or Scorpius, and had only survived thanks to the intervention of none other than Harry Potter himself, champion of Mudbloods and blood traitors alike. The fact that the eldest Mr. Malfoy could have been there to defend his wife if he'd been willing to accept his grandson's life and choices was apparently was lost on him.

Once again, Rose obliged to sit with Scorpius and his relatives, nestled tightly between her boyfriend and Andromeda Tonks, who had apparently made some sort of peace with her sister in recent years. Though there were still a few murmurs of protest scattered throughout the black-clad crowd, the overall response was resigned to if not accepting of her choice in seating. Perhaps this was due to the way in which Narcissa had died, murdered by a wizard who'd fought on the right side of the War and sought revenge on the families of those who hadn't. Perhaps this caused those who would have objected to a Weasley's romance with a Malfoy to reconsider their prejudices against purebloods and the children of Death Eaters. Rose liked to think so, though it was just as plausible the public had merely grown used to reading about her "exploits" with Scorpius from Rita Skeeter's articles. One couldn't know for certain. But when Rose heard Lily ask Uncle Harry after the ceremony why he'd come to pay his respects to the wife of a man who'd always hated him, he'd responded by telling the story of how Narcissa Malfoy had lied and spared his life in the Forbidden Forest, because she'd cared far more about her family than the cause they'd once fought for. Those who'd overheard the conversation as she had quickly spread it to the rest of the attendees. This formerly unknown story from the War caught many by surprise, and Rose noticed there was a perceptible change in the crowd's demeanor throughout the rest of the reception, though what this meant she couldn't be sure. Maybe, slowly, things were changing.

To outside observers, it would seem that Scorpius was numb to the day's proceedings. Only Rose and his father, and possibly Albus, understood the toll it all took on him, that his silence stemmed from shock, as well as from the pain and exhaustion that still had not fully receded. He hadn't been sleeping well; Rose had spent the intervening days between the attack and the funeral at Malfoy Manor, and had spent each night in Scorpius' bed. At least once a night, he began to move and cry out in his sleep, necessitating that Rose wake him up and calm him down. Each time, he apologized, and each time she brushed away his concerns that she wasn't getting enough rest by staying with him. Her only worry was that his sleeping patterns wouldn't return to normal before they went back to Hogwarts, where it would be far more difficult for her to comfort him like this. Well, that wasn't quite true: for the first few nights, she'd worried what his father would say if he found out Rose wasn't actually using the guest room that had been prepared for her. If Draco had become aware of their sleeping accommodations, however, he made no comment on them, nor did he express disapproval. She was glad the news had no way of reaching her own father's ears, as that would have been another matter entirely. Though she hadn't seen much of him since that Christmas night at the Burrow, there was no reason for her to believe his opinion on her taste in boyfriends had changed. The argument they'd had was yet to be addressed, and that was a conversation she wasn't looking forward to having. Instead, she actively avoided it by spending the rest of the holidays helping the Malfoys re-settle into their home and overcome the uneasiness they felt at their return. Draco had suggested they spend some time out of the country first, but Scorpius had insisted they do it sooner rather than later, or it would only be harder to convince themselves to go back to the Manor. On their first day back, she'd helped them block off the door to the study; the room was left untouched, as no one had wanted to enter to clean the floor of blood or salvage any antiques before it was sealed shut. The parallels between this room and the other one that lay abandoned downstairs went unsaid between the three of them, but not unnoticed. The boards across its entrance were already gathering dust by the time Albus came to spend New Years' with them, and all avoided the fourth floor corridor entirely.

* * *

"Scor?"

"Hmm?" She felt the sound vibrate her head and arm strangely as she rested it on his chest. They lay in his bed together on the night before they were to leave for Hogwarts, with him winding locks of her red curls around his fingers, as he had when they'd been kissing just a short while ago. The fact that this would be their last night sleeping in the same bed together until at least Easter went unmentioned, but hung in the air between them like a tangible presence despite that.

"I need to tell you something, but I need you to promise you won't think I'm crazy either."

"Hearing voices again, are we? Nothing to be ashamed of, I'm sure there's a potion for that," he teased.

"Scor, this is serious," she admonished, genuinely fearful of what his reaction would be. Rose had been meaning to tell him about this since it had happened, but each time she'd gathered enough resolve to bring it up, she'd convinced herself that it wasn't the right time for some trivial reason or other. Now, it was their last night, and she was going to do it, and it had to be now; the thought of **not** telling him had never even crossed her mind – they no longer kept any secrets from one another. There was no need to, anymore.

"Okay. I promise. What's wrong?"

"That night…at the Manor," she started hesitantly, and felt his body tense under her as she'd expected it would. "I-I didn't remember the antidote."

"What?" he asked, sounding confused.

"The antidote to the poison you took. You thought I recognized the poison on my own, but I didn't."

"Rosie, of course you remembered it. You saved me."

"But I didn't do it on my own," she tried to explain, remembering the feeling that another being separate from her own was speaking to her, helping her focus and remember the text she'd read on rare poisons that panic and desperation had pushed to the back of her mind.

"What do you mean? Was there anyone else there?"

"I know I read that book, and I carried the antidote around with me for months, but there were so many of them in my bag, and I couldn't remember which one you needed. And then all at once, I could _see_ the page in front of me, and I read the passage on Angel's Trumpet Draught off word-for-word. For once, something magical has happened to me that I can't explain, and I don't like not understanding it, and I don't know what to do about it."

"You're a Potions prodigy," he said simply. "You always underestimate yourself, but you're **good** – one of the best Hogwarts has ever seen, even Professor Rosier says so. This wasn't some sort of an exam you could have cheated on. I know what it's like to feel you got out of a dangerous situation just by luck, or – "

Rose began to sit up, causing Scorpius' fingers to loosen themselves from her hair. She looked him in the eye and placed a hand on his torso. "You don't understand. I've felt that way before too, that I've only just barely survived because of good luck, but that isn't what I mean at all. I was so desperate, and I thought…I thought I'd already lost you, I didn't know what was killing you or how to stop it. All I could do was hold your hand and look stupidly at our rings with the Ravenclaw crest, and-" she stopped suddenly. "And I said the Latin, out loud! That must have been it! I'd never said it out loud before-"

"What?" he asked, sitting up beside her.

"I said the Latin from the rings Al gave us for Christmas! _Wit beyond measure_!"

"You mean _Argut_ -"

"Don't **say** it! It must – it must be a spell of some sort, and we don't know how it works yet. There might be other effects we aren't aware of yet. We need to research it-"

"Rose, I know I promised I wouldn't think you're crazy, and I still don't. But-"

"But it's **possible** , isn't it? A lot of spell incantations are in Latin. And then I felt like there was this voice in my head helping me remember."

"I really don't think that-"

"Look, you don't know what it was like, you weren't in my head and you didn't feel it, so I don't know why you're trying to tell me what is and isn't possible."

"You're right," he relented…but the tone of his voice suggested he hadn't really come around to her way of thinking. He began to stroke her cheek in what he surely meant to be a soothing manner, though it didn't quite come across that way. "I wasn't in your head, so I shouldn't be telling you what you did and didn't feel."

She took note that Scorpius didn't precisely say the words "I'm sorry," or "I was wrong," but kept it to herself – she wasn't sure if he'd even noticed himself. After all, it might be hard for him to acknowledge that he'd come much closer to dying than even he had thought, saved only by chance when she stumbled onto a spell she hadn't previously known. It had probably comforted him more to think that she'd revived him with her own skill, because that meant she could do it again when he or someone else she cared for was in danger.

He lay back down, and she returned to her previous position, curled up against his side with her head on his stomach. Soon after, she heard his breathing even out and felt the tension slowly leave his body once more.


	36. Chapter 36

Please don't hate me. Please. I thrive on your collective love and affection, and if you're reading this, then I'm incredibly grateful that you've stuck with me. I'm sorry for disappearing, but I'M BACK NOW AND THAT'S WHAT MATTERS, RIGHT? RIGHT?

I'm sorry for falling off the face of the earth - if you follow me as an author you'll know by now where I've been, but if not I'll tell you. See, a good friend of mine started a theater group on campus at the end of the spring semester last year. I joined, of course, because theater. At the beginning of this year, he approached me with the idea of writing and performing (with this group he'd formed) an original parody of _Harry Potter and the Cursed Child_. Well, dear readers, of course I couldn't say no! So, he let me take charge of the team that wrote it, and together we put together what I think is a fantastic script. (Don't believe me? I've posted it on my page, go check it out!) From there, it was time to look for a director…and when he asked me I said yes, because I loved the idea and I loved the script and I love the group. And after a lot (A lot. Like, a lot a lot) of work, we pulled together a show that I'm extremely proud of. I'm going to try to post a link to the recording once my tech person has managed to wrestle her wifi into submission and upload it, so if you're interested check back on my profile in about a week and a half. I can also try to add the link in the next THR chapter.

Anyway, as you can imagine, between writing and then directing, all my free time (as well as time that should have been dedicated to doing schoolwork) was spent on this amazing project. So, that's where I've been, and now I'm very excited to post what is officially the LONGEST CHAPTER I'VE EVER WRITTEN! I know I've said that before, but damn, they just keep getting longer folks - and I have so much left to say before this story comes to a close, so don't worry, it WILL be finished…just bear with me, because it'll take a little more time than I'd like. There will be at least 6 more parts to be precise, as the Trio tackles seventh year (with the possibility of a more…..we'll see ;) )

Reminders: I am not J. K. Rowling, _Harry Potter_ is not mine, and you're all fantastic followers and I ily very much

tl;dr I'm awful and helped write and direct a CC parody, which made me busy and I'm sorry

I hope you enjoy this long-awaited chapter!

* * *

 **Chapter 36**

 **Sixth Year, Part Six**

The return to Hogwarts proved to be a difficult re-adjustment for both of them. Over the years she'd known him, Scorpius had proven how difficult it was for him to come to terms with the seemingly endless parade of painful obstacles that life threw at him (though she was certainly far from being a pro at this herself, she thought, as she remembered the severe mood swings she'd suffered after her nearly fatal excursion in the Forbidden Forest), and this was very obviously the worst event he'd had to cope with yet. By comparison to his own baseline, then, he was doing extraordinarily well… but this was not to say that things were going well for him. Though Scorpius' sleeping habits had significantly improved after his grandmother's funeral as long as Rose stayed with him each night, their return to sleeping in different dormitories in Ravenclaw Tower led to a significant decline. The purple bruise-like shadows beneath his eyes that had slowly faded in the time between Christmas and when they boarded the Hogwarts Express returned in just a few short days after their arrival at the castle. Rose took it upon herself to brew him a steady supply of Sleeping Draughts, though technically all potions used for medicinal purposes were meant to be created in the Hospital Wing and dispensed by Madame Longbottom. Though this seemed to help a bit, allowing him to remain functional enough to eat normally and do well in his classes, it was clear he still wasn't getting enough rest each night. To compensate for his inability to fall asleep in his own bed, Rose noticed he began to take daytime naps in the common room while she was there with him doing her schoolwork, and even fell fully asleep a few times late at night as they talked, curled up with her in the window seat overlooking the Black Lake. Each time this happened, neither Rose nor Albus had the heart to move him; instead, Rose resigned herself to the slightly sore back she knew she'd have in the morning and conjured a blanket to keep them warm after the common room's fire had been extinguished.

Though they had more moments like these together than they had during their previous stays at Hogwarts, she began to seek space from Scorpius in other, smaller ways. After Scorpius had made it clear he didn't want to discuss the possible spell she had stumbled upon at Christmas, and had even stopped wearing the ring Albus had given him so he could forget about it almost entirely, Rose privately resolved to check every book in the library that had anything to do with Rowena Ravenclaw, the House she founded, and the motto she'd chosen for it. The redhead managed to conceal this area of interest from Scorpius and briefly considered confiding in Al, her only family member in Ravenclaw, and the one who by giving her that ring may very well have saved the life of his closest friend. In the end, though, she decided against it. Rose knew Albus well, and while he would try to hide Rose's side project from her boyfriend at her insistence, she didn't trust that he could convincingly keep a secret from his best mate – he would try, but would most likely fail. Subtlety was not in his nature, and furthermore, he was idealistic when it came to keeping secrets, believing there was no need for them between people who were as close as the three of them. If she told him, he would accuse her of behaving unfairly toward her boyfriend. She would then attempt to explain she was only hiding this because Scorpius had made clear he didn't want to learn about the spell, and that as her boyfriend he should know her well enough to understand she wouldn't stop pursing knowledge of any sort just because he didn't want to admit the subject existed. Albus would reluctantly attempt to keep the secret, but it would only serve to cause strife between them, and ultimately her research would be revealed. No, it was far better to keep this from the people she was closest to, though she wished she could talk about her slow but steady progress with someone who would appreciate it.

This desire led her to spend more time with a rather unlikely party: Lysander Scamander. Though he was a close friend of Hugo and Lily's, and had spent a good amount of time at the Burrow and her own home from a young age, he wasn't Rose's first choice of a confidant. Still, several events conspired to lead her to trust him with her clandestine research:

First, her attempts to spend more time with others, away from Scor and Al, led her to spend more time in the library with Roxanne, her friend Cara Zabini, Gregory Ollivander, Lucy, Hugo, Lily, and the Scamander twins. Though none of them spent as much time there as she did, their schedules were staggered so that she found it was almost impossible not to spot at least one of them there at any given hour.

Second, her eclectic reading tastes that very obviously had nothing to do with their lessons began to draw the attentions of these friends she studied with.

Third, and perhaps most importantly, Lysander was a Ravenclaw, and the son of Luna Lovegood besides. This meant he was infinitely curious about subjects he was interested in (which, as far as she could tell, was everything besides Potions), and like his mother possessed an open mind when it came to rather strange matters such as secret spells and conspiracy theories. And because he was a Ravenclaw, Rose didn't feel as if she was giving away some sort of House secret, as she would have if she'd told Roxanne (a Slytherin), Hugo (a Gryffindor), or Lucy (a Hufflepuff).

So when Lysander hesitantly asked her one rainy Saturday afternoon in the library, when no one else was present, why she was reading a book on the early life of Rowena Ravenclaw, she made an uncharacteristic spur-of-the-moment decision to answer truthfully.

* * *

Rose turned 17 on March 14th, a milestone event she'd hoped in vain that no one would remember. Scorpius, Albus, the rest of her family at Hogwarts, Andy, and the Scamander twins threw her a small party under the oak tree at the edge of the Black Lake, with a cake they'd snuck from the kitchens and a few, thoughtful presents that showed how well they knew her. She received cards and presents via owl from her parents as well: Licorice Wands and Potions books. Though her hatred of being in the spotlight on her birthday had not abated over the years, she managed to accept their attention with good grace, and even might have enjoyed herself just a tiny bit. Maybe, just maybe, birthdays weren't completely horrible after all.

When she stumbled downstairs for breakfast one morning during the Easter holidays, still in her pajamas, she was greeted by a wall of sound she later realized was meant to be a chorus of "Happy birthday," sung by about seventy people in varying tempos and keys; at the time, all Rose could do was blink in surprise, still half-asleep, and marvel at how many people had managed to squeeze themselves into her kitchen.

Then it hit her, and panic began to settle into her stomach as she raced back up the stairs to her room. Her parents had thrown her a 17th birthday party. She was going to kill them.

Hugo went upstairs to find her about a half hour later, when it became apparent she would not make another appearance at the celebration unless forced. "So, will you come back down with me willingly, or do I have to carry you?" he asked as he came into her room unannounced, plopping himself down on her bed. "I'm bigger than you now, you know I could." She glared at him from the window seat in the corner, where she sat huddled underneath a heap of quilts. "You can try," she retorted. "I'm not above biting. And I'm officially old enough to hex you outside school, now."

Her brother sighed and lay back, staring up at the ceiling. "You know you have to go down there."

"But what did Mum and Dad…scratch that, this must have been all Mum's doing…but what did she expect, really? I hate my birthday. I hate being the center of attention, because I just know I'll do something stupid or embarrassing and everyone will be watching. And I hate how stupid it is that people feel like they need to give me presents just to prove they care for me, just because Mum gave birth to me on March 14th seventeen years ago."

"How is that different from Christmas, though? Or my birthday. You always celebrate my birthday."

"At Christmas you exchange gifts with family and close friends - it's equal. And **everyone** else gets excited about it, so it makes sense that they'd wish you a Happy Christmas because they truly feel the same way. But people always think they need to wish you a happy birthday when they find out and give you gifts, even if they hate you. And you're my brother, I remember when you were born, of course I'm going to celebrate your birthday."

"Well, you're my sister. Why can't I celebrate with you, then?"

"You did. At school. All our family was there, and I hate to admit this, but I may have actually enjoyed it-"

"But Mum and Dad weren't there. And neither were Nana and Grandpa Weasley, or Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny… they all love you too, Ro. They just want to show you that. No one down there hates you, I promise – they didn't come to tease you."

Rose sighed and remained quiet for a few moments before responding. "I know I need to go downstairs – I got dressed and everything." Here she pulled the quilts off herself and heaped them on the windowsill next to her to prove her point, displaying the flower-print dress she'd donned. "I just wish Mum had taken into account what I want instead of what she wants."

"Dad's usually the one that stops her, when she's wanted to throw you surprise parties in the past. But, well…he didn't this time."

Rose knew her face must have betrayed a bit of the hurt she felt at this, because Hugo hastily added "And I don't think he could have if he'd tried. It's your 17th birthday, of course Mum was bound to go mental. Dad probably just wanted to avoid fighting over it. I think he's excited too."

"Yeah," she said softly, standing up from her seat and turning to the dresser under the pretense of retrieving the silver necklace Scorpius had given her for her 17th from the small wooden jewelry box perched there. It took her a moment to school her expression back to what she hoped it had been just a few moments ago. "Yeah, that must be it."

Rose followed Hugo outside obediently. She exerted the social efforts expected of her, making the rounds of the party to thank everyone for attending a celebration she hadn't wanted in the first place. Everyone she spoke to cheerily congratulated her on finally turning seventeen, as if it was an accomplishment she could control rather than a decision of fate. Perhaps it was Scorpius' (conspicuous) absence, but her father's words and actions were surprisingly enthusiastic, almost (but not quite) as if nothing had happened between them. Rose hoped this was a sign that things were slowly mending between them…but she'd always believed it was best to expect the worst and only hope for the best. She spoke with Al for a bit as well, though he couldn't be counted on for an excuse to avoid the rest of the attendees as she'd hoped; he'd brought Phoebe Kitsch - a Hufflepuff in their year - and was entirely distracted in his pursuit of making her laugh and staring into her eyes. Rose was surprised, as her cousin hadn't told her that he'd broken things off with Kristina Goyle, and wondered what could have happened between them. Not that they'd been too serious, of course - and come to think of it, she thought that maybe Albus felt he wasn't ready for that kind of commitment. Shrugging, she made a mental note to ask him about the breakup later, then moved on to the next set of guests.

Once she'd performed her obligatory duties as birthday girl, Rose retreated quietly with a book in hand into a corner of her mother's garden surrounded by high hedges (which she believed Hermione had made for this express purpose of hiding from the rest of the family and their occasional guests in order to read). She quickly lost herself in the pages of a historical account of Rowena Ravenclaw's childhood, and didn't look up until she heard footsteps echoing on the stone path in front of her.

"She's rather fascinating, isn't she?"

Rose looked up at Luna Scamander, who was standing in front of her with a bright, sunny smile on her face. "She really is."

"I have some more books on her at home, if you'd like to read them. I can send them back to Hogwarts with the boys."

"That would be lovely," she replied genuinely, smiling. "Thank you." Though Rose hadn't much wanted to spend time with any of her party's attendees, she decided to herself that Lorcan and Lysander's mother was different, though she didn't know her particularly well compared to some of her other family's friends like Kingsley or Andromeda Tonks. Luna wasn't going to put her on the spot or laugh if she tripped or said something dull. Based on the stories Rose had heard over the years about her parents' eccentric friend, she'd spent a good deal of her days at Hogwarts being teased for being true to herself. Rose instinctively knew she could trust Luna with just about anything…and with this thought, a certain subject that had been occupying her in much of her free time popped into her mind.

"She was quite an inventor, wasn't she?" Rose said carefully. "Always coming up with new spells and instruments. The author of this book says that he doesn't think we'll ever find record of all of them."

"Oh, I suspect more people have discovered her creations than we think."

"Then why wouldn't they share them?" asked Rose. "Certainly discovering one of Rowena Ravenclaw's lost spells would bring lots of fame and fortune to whoever uncovered it."

"Because our House has never been about fame and fortune. Save that for the Slytherins and Gryffindors. Ravenclaws are wise enough to know that some spells are too powerful to be shared with those they can't trust."

Rose started to reply, but Luna continued to speak. "I'm glad you seem to have figured out that lesson on your own, Rose. I'm very proud of you, you know."

"How- how did you know I'd found one of her spells?"

"Because I found it myself, when I was about your age, or at least I expect it was the same one. My father and I were trying to create her lost diadem, before it was found. It turned out to be a Horcrux."

Rose's face must have gone blank at this, because after a moment Luna replied, "Ah, I see, you haven't heard about those yet. I'm sure your family will tell you when the time is right. The War got rather dark, I'm sure you know that by now. Anyway, all the historical accounts seemed to agree that the diadem was engraved with that saying, " _Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure_." None of them said what language it was in, which led to some quite interesting research. It turned out to be in English after all, of course, though Father was quite convinced for some time it would be in Mermish. But still, it led us to discover her spell when we tested out the effects of all the different possible translations. It's funny how things work out sometimes, isn't it?"

Rose smiled. It relieved her to know that the feelings she'd been having all these months were justified, that some emotion or rush of adrenaline she'd felt in the heat of the moment at Malfoy Manor hadn't led her on some wild goose chase, a journey to nowhere. It also made her a bit more upset with Scorpius though, in an unexpected way. They'd shared almost everything with each other for so long now, and here it had just been confirmed that she'd made what would probably be one of the greatest discoveries of her life…and she couldn't share it with him. Scor wouldn't want to know about what Luna had helped her to discover, because that meant he'd come closer to death than he could accept. She understood that, understood his need to pretend they all had more control over their lives than was possible – heaven knows that's what she did most of the time, throwing herself into her studies of magic and Muggles and even other people in an attempt to understand it all, to feel in charge of what happened next, or at the very least aware of events before they could reach her life so she could brace for the impact.

But this chance encounter with Ravenclaw's hidden magic, as well as her unshakable curiosity, had brought her to a point where she was having to question the extent to which she could truly control every aspect of her life, something that until now had been a pillar she could lean on and build her life around, and she wouldn't be able to articulate it to the person she'd come to think of over the years as her other half. Up until now they'd fit perfectly together in almost every way, like two puzzle pieces clicking into place, accommodating one another's edges and filling in the gaps between themselves. But now, it seemed they'd discovered an area where they didn't quite mesh. It happened in all relationships, she knew that. Her own parents had their arguments, especially when she'd first befriended (and later starting dating) Scorpius. Her father's temper didn't always go well with her mother's level-headed rationality and finely tuned sense of justice, but they still worked well together despite that. Her Aunt Ginny's caution and fierce protectiveness when it came to the safety of her family sometimes clashed with her uncle's sense of adventure and desire to make a positive impact through his work as an Auror, but they'd gotten past it. It felt different now, though, finding herself facing an obstacle she and her boyfriend would have to work past in order to advance in their relationship. It was frustrating and upsetting, and just the tiniest bit scary.

Rose said none of this to Luna, forcing her emotions under the surface to be felt and contemplated at another time. "I agree, it is interesting how things always seem to work out in the end in a way we wouldn't expect. That's life, I suppose." She paused before continuing. "Were you able to figure out the mechanics of the spell?" she asked hesitantly. "What it does, exactly, and what its limitations are?"

Luna simply smiled.

"…Or…that's something I need to figure out for myself, isn't it?"

"Well, I expect Lysander will help you –"

Rose gave her an incredulous look at this.

"I figured you'd gotten him involved by now. Or at least, I'd hoped so. Both of my boys have always preferred a little adventure in their lives, but Lorcan's grown up to like the sort that involves duels and hexes and adrenaline. And that isn't what Lysander wants at all. But a centuries-old mystery he can solve without having to leave Ravenclaw Tower? It'll do him good."

Rose grinned at this. "Thanks for talking with me – I'm glad I'm not alone in all this. Or, rather, that Lysander and I aren't alone."

The blonde-haired witch's expression grew momentarily confused. "But haven't you told your cousin by now? And Scorpius?"

Rose knew her face must have given something away, because Luna sighed in response and patted her on the shoulder. "I'm sure it'll all get sorted in time. I don't know him that well, but from what I've seen he's tough as nails under the surface. He won't be quite the same as before, of course – experiences like that tend to never really leave you. But he loves you, and I think one day, once he's removed enough from what happened to really process it, he'll understand."

Rose smiled thinly. "Thanks, Luna."

"My pleasure. We should talk like this more often, Rose – it's nice to spend time with someone who's as curious as I am."

* * *

Rose continued to work to this end with Lysander once they returned to Hogwarts, and together the pair made great headway. Though they were far from figuring out all of the spell's details, the pair was able to uncover its general mechanics through their research into Rowena Ravenclaw's life as well as through trial and error. It's greatest limitation seemed to be that it would only let the user remember something they had learned but forgotten; in other words, it didn't appear to be able to give them information upon casting it that they had never before encountered. Secretly, she appreciated this constraint, as it meant the spell couldn't act as a magical shortcut around the years of hard work she'd put into her classes.

It took a fair amount of work and time for Rose and Lysander to figure even this much out about Ravenclaw's charm, which necessitated that that they spent a good deal more amount of time together than they had previously. While Rose enjoyed getting to know the boy beyond his shy, bookwormish nature and learned to appreciate his formidable research skills and kind nature, their newfound friendship began to draw the attention of Albus and Scorpius. Al simply shrugged it off, and tried to make him feel welcome to join them when the trio studied together in the Tower or at meals; it wasn't as if they'd ever been on bad terms, after all. Scorpius took this development a bit more suspiciously, which Rose understood to some extent. After all, before the events of this past Christmas, they had shared everything with one another; now, she had a habit of disappearing off with Lysander Scamander once she'd finished her assignments for the day, only to return to the common room with him that night, giving little but trite explanations as to what they'd been doing.

This was just one of several outward signs of the gulf she felt growing between them, but there was little she could do about it. And still, most things hadn't changed. Scorpius' nerves had calmed somewhat, but he was still much more on edge than before, easily startled by loud noises and people coming up behind him. He grew increasingly defensive of her and Albus, which resulted in a few moments of panic on his part - like when Roxanne snuck her cousins a few harmless color bombs that exploded in small puffs of smoke, leaving Rose's skin Ravenclaw blue and Albus' an eye-watering shade of yellow for a solid twenty-four hours. It took him much longer to realize that his girlfriend and best mate were not in any real danger, and still longer to slow his heart down to a normal pace and focus on his schoolwork again. She'd chewed Roxanne out for that one after the fact, for which the younger girl apologized. He also began to carry the Muggle camera she'd given him nearly everywhere he went. Knowing that forms of creative expression are often thought to be helpful for those recovering from trauma, she didn't question it or ask what he was photographing – she knew he'd show her when he was comfortable. His sleeping habits had begun to improve since the Easter holidays, but Rose still found herself having to sleep in the common room with him occasionally - she didn't mind, of course, but the longer it took for Scorpius to return to normal, the more worried she became. It broke her heart a little more each day to hear him telling her about the nightmares he had, and the fears he had to fight through just to remain functional. Rose wondered if wizards had therapists, and whether or not she could convince Scorpius to see one if they existed. No matter what, she would be here to support him in any way she could, as would Al, but they weren't trained for this kind of thing. Surely an expert would be able to help in ways that she and her cousin simply couldn't? She shared these concerns only with Al, however, and it stayed that way until the last weekend in May. They would be home in less than a month, she reasoned, and if Scorpius had made it through from Christmas until now, surely he could make it the rest of the way to the end of term (less than three weeks away, now) without major incident. He was eating, he was excelling in his classwork as always, and to those who didn't know him as well as she and Albus did, it appeared that he had all but recovered from his ordeal.

The one thing she hadn't considered was their final match against Gryffindor. The season's standings were close enough that this last match would determine the winner of the Quidditch Cup, and ultimately the House Cup as well. The school showed up in full force, with half the stadium decked in blue in copper and the other donning banners of scarlet and gold. Rose soaked up the cheers she received each time she scored, and applauded for Scorpius each time he made a save as Keeper. Albus soared around the pitch while they played, searching for the Snitch. And all this was narrated by James, who sounded as if he were hopping up and down in the commentator's box with excitement. "And Gryffindor Chaser David Greene is heading up the pitch with the Quaffle, passes to Polly Chapman, back to Greene – Oh but Ravenclaw Arran Wright has intercepted with help from Beater Penelope Peakes! They pass to Tara Abney – NICE ONE SIS! Lily Potter now has the Quaffle, Merlin I love her! Still no sign of the Snitch, my brother Albus is just hovering stupidly over everyone's heads – and now he's sent me an indecent hand gesture, folks – Professor Longbottom, he has to get some sort of penalty for that, doesn't he? No? Oh well, I'll get him back for it later. And it looks like Lily just dodged a Bludger sent by Bernard Belby, but ol' Big Ben just can't hold a candle to my sister – okay, looks like I spoke too soon, Abney has taken possession. Better luck next time, Lils – or we'll disown you! Only kidding, of course. Abney corkscrews to avoid a Bludger sent by Fred Weasley – some loser, I've no idea who he is – and SHE'S DROPPED THE QUAFFLE! Greene is in possession and is now tearing up the pitch toward the Ravenclaw goalposts, manned none other than my cousin's boyfriend, Scorpius Hermes Malfoy. If he doesn't block this, he'll sure be in the doghouse later, folks! And now **Rose** has made the same rude gesture – is my whole family turning against me?! Professor, can she really get away with this? Fine, fine, yes, I'll shut up. And – Malfoy blocks the attempt! The score still stands at 140 Ravenclaw, 110 Gryffindor – it's anybody's game, folks!"

Rose rejoiced as they scored twice more, bringing them up to a lead of 50 points. They were **winning** , Ravenclaw was **winning** , thanks to the hard work she and Scorpius and the rest of the team had put in this year. And Albus was an amazing Seeker, surely he would beat Gryffindor's Laura Payne to the Snitch, once it made an appearance. Finally, they had a chance to win the House Cup!

"Lily's intercepted the Quaffle now, heading toward the Ravenclaw posts- and it looks like Rose is going to try for the steal! She makes a grab for it –"

Rose felt something smash into her outstretched right arm – something inside her cracked under the force of it.

"And Rose has been hit by a Bludger! Nice aim, Fred!"

The impact sent her veering to the right – it was a strong hit, and she'd already been off-balance as she'd strained forward to reach for the Quaffle in Lily's hands. Instinctively, she put her right hand back down on the broom's handle to correct her course, but instantly recoiled as pain shot up her limb at the movement.

"And my marvelous sister is about to – wait, Rose? Rose Weasley appears to be having some difficulty controlling her broomstick right now – she doesn't appear to be stopping."

She was falling outright now, legs wrapped around her broomstick in a desperate attempt to right herself, but it wasn't working. The sky and the ground blurred together dizzyingly as she spiraled through the air. She could still tell she was losing altitude though - the grassy turf was approaching rapidly.

"Merlin, she's falling fast – someone help her!"

Rose saw Albus and Lily chasing after her from the corner of her eye, but she reached the earth before they could catch up. She rolled as she landed to diffuse the force of her impact, sending another wave of pain up her arm that made her gasp. Her head cracked against the turf, and she saw stars. Al was by her side in a moment; he knelt over her, and her blurred vision made it appear as though there were two of him. "Rose? Ro, answer me. Rose?" she heard him asking through the ringing in her ears.

She tried to look him at him directly, but she wasn't sure which one was the real Al, and so her gaze flitted between them. "I'm okay, I promise. Still in one piece," she said breathlessly.

Rose sensed the presence of more bodies gathered around now. Lily, Hugo, Fred. But where was –

"Rose? Rosie!" Scorpius' panicked voice rang out from the back of the small crowd surrounding her. "Merlin, let me **through**!"

James' voice could be heard shouting across the pitch, still magically amplified – "For fuck's sake, would someone just tell me if she's alright?"

Her vision had straightened out by the time Scorpius was able to kneel down next to her, across from Albus; there was only one of him, and so she was able to meet his eyes easily. He was clearly terrified, pupils dilated so that the blue-grey color of his irises was almost entirely obscured. "Scor," she said, trying to keep her voice level even though her arm and head ached. "I'm okay, I promise. Just a few scratches, see? Here, can you help me sit up?"

His voice was strained to the point of breaking as he answered, "Are you sure you should be doing that? Maybe we should wait for Madame Longbottom-"

"I'm fine. Really. Please, just help me up."

He began to reach for her right arm – the one she was fairly sure had been broken. She pulled it closer to her without thinking, and she saw his eyes tighten as he noticed.

"Did you really have to hit her quite so hard, Fred?" she heard Hugo snipe from somewhere near her ankles.

"It's not as if he meant for this to happen," said Roxanne – apparently the other members of the Weasley family had managed to quickly cross the Quidditch pitch from their position in the stands.

"Rose, I'm so sorry-" started Fred-

"Shut up! You don't get to apologize to make yourself feel better!" Scorpius shouted, interrupting her cousin.

Rose stared at her boyfriend in fascination. He hardly ever raised his voice, and to the best of her knowledge had never gotten angry at anyone but himself. She began to sit up on her own, eventually succeeding with Lily's help once the younger girl saw what she was trying to do.

"Fred, what were you thinking?" Scorpius continued. "You could have killed her!"

Albus snorted at that. "Rose is made of tougher stuff than that. You know her as well as I do." He slipped an arm around Rose's shoulders at that to help keep her upright, and she appreciated that he was careful not to jostle her right side.

She tried to reach out to touch Scorpius' shoulder with her left hand, since he still knelt at her side but had twisted away from her to argue with Fred. "He was just doing his job, you know that. And I'm fine, really-"

"Fine?" he asked incredulously, still facing away from her. "You fell from your broom. You hit your head, broke your arm-"

"Your arm's broken? Bloody hell Rose, I'm so sorry," chimed in Fred, his tone sincere. She'd never heard him sound quite so serious – he and James were forever making jokes and pulling pranks, and they somehow managed to always sound at least a little sarcastic.

"Fred, really, I'm not upset. And Scorpius –" she tugged on his shoulder a little to force him to turn around, confident she could calm him down if she could only look him in the eye – "Scorpius, look at me. Look at me."

He whirled to face her, and she was startled to see that his face was flushed, eyes beginning to burn with some mixture of rage and fear she'd never seen in him before. "Don't try to calm me down, Rosie, don't try to act like you wouldn't be upset if it was me who got hurt."

"Of course I'd be upset! I'm always upset when you get hurt, or anyone when else I care for does. But you can't go taking it out on my cousin just because he did his job as a Beater and knocked me off my broomstick."

"You **broke** your **arm**. You fell from at least four stories up-"

"And Al did worse when he broke his collarbone during that match in second year. Or had you forgotten?" Though she understood that his panic came from the events at Christmas, which he was still working through, she was beginning to lose her patience with him. Her head was throbbing, her arm filled with searing pain, and all she wanted was him, as her best friend, to hold her and stroke her hair and tell her everything would be alright until Madame Longbottom came. Instead, she was having to comfort him, assuring him and the rest of her family she felt fine (though from the glances Albus was sneaking her she knew he had caught on that she wasn't) when she really felt like curling into a ball on the nice cool grass.

"So, what? You don't want me to worry about you? It isn't exactly something I can turn off."

"That's not what I'm asking! I just need you to step back for a moment and please stop being so overprotective!"

"Rosie, you don't understand." Once again, his voice sounded as if it were about to break. He spoke quietly, so that the conversations of her brother and cousins around her drowned out most of what he said from all but her ears. "You were falling, and all I could think about was how I couldn't bear it if I'd lost you. I love you. And I need you. You know I do."

"Scor, I do understand," she replied. "And I love you too. But what you're doing isn't helping."

"Rose? Rose!" She heard the sound of James running toward them, panting; clearly he'd just run all the way from the commentator's box at the top of the stadium. "Is she okay?"

"Yes, she's okay!" replied Al, glad for a reason to interrupt their tense conversation, which he was close enough to overhear.

"Mostly," she heard Hugo add on under his breath.

"No, she's not okay," Scorpius loudly contradicted Albus. "Her arm's broken, and she may have a concussion." Rose resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"What's taking Madame Longbottom so long to get here?" asked Lysander hesitantly. Rose hadn't even realized he was there until he spoke.

"Fantastic question, Scamander," said Lily, clearly happy for the change of subject. "Why don't you go investigate?"

"And take Fred with you," said Scorpius brusquely.

"Scorpius, **enough** ," snapped Rose.

"What are you on about, Malfoy?" asked James, making his way toward the blonde.

"I just don't understand why everyone is forgiving Fred so quickly," he replied, standing. "Hugo's the only one besides me who seems to be even remotely upset with him."

"Because he obviously didn't mean it!" shouted Roxanne. It was clear her patience was gone. "Fred loves Rose, he'd do anything for her! Any of us would do anything for each other!"

"And that includes you too, Scorpius," Lucy added hastily. "You're one of us now. Surely you know that."

"I think what the rest of my family means is that there's no point in yelling at Fred, when he already feels guilty enough," said Lily.

"And really, if I had better balance I wouldn't have fallen in the first place," said Rose.

Scorpius closed his eyes, clearly frustrated, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Don't even try to blame yourself for this, Rosie."

"There's no one to blame, mate," said Albus. "It was an accident."

"My grandfather always said that accidents are a careless man's excuse," Scorpius replied curtly.

"Oh right, because your grandfather is the perfect person to get your morality lessons from," James replied sarcastically. "Being a little too eager with a Beater's bat is a sight better than being a Death Eater."

"James, **stop** it! Scorpius, go find someplace quiet and calm down. Now. My family can take care of me from here, and you're not helping."

James snorted and walked away.

Scorpius looked down at Rose on the ground in hurt surprise, but she lowered her head so as not to look at him. "We'll talk later, okay?"

"Okay," he replied quietly, sounding defeated. He turned and left, and Rose felt something tighten in her chest as she raised her head high enough to watch his back growing smaller through her curtain of red hair.

"Rose, dear, how are you feeling? That was quite a fall," said Madame Longbottom as she arrived, with Lysander trailing behind her. The older witch bustled over to kneel at her side, and her family (apart from Al) cleared away gratefully.

"I'm okay," said Rose in a dull voice. "I'm fine."

* * *

They never did really talk about what had occurred at that Quidditch match, though – at least not before the end of their sixth year and the beginning of the summer months. Scorpius visited her later that day in the Hospital Wing, quietly apologizing to Rose and her family. The Weasley-Potter clan welcomed him back, of course; most of them began treating him the same as they had before. It took a bit longer for James and Roxanne's anger to fade, but by the end of the year all had returned to normal on that front. But Rose noticed a change in her own relationship with Scorpius. It had begun with their argument over the spell she'd discovered and saved him with, she knew, and had grown larger in the following months as she'd hidden her pursuits in researching Rowena Ravenclaw from him. She told him and Al about her academic exploits with Lysander Scamander once she'd been released from the Hospital Wing, and he seemed surprised and upset, but said he understood - her cousin, perceptive as always when it came to her, seemed to have gathered more or less what was going on.

She still loved him, of course. And this wouldn't mark the end of their relationship – this was only their first test. They would talk about what had happened eventually, she knew, when both of them had come to terms with the fact that their relationship wasn't perfect or infallible or all of the things she'd come to unconsciously assume it was. They were human, and each had their own faults. Until now, Rose thought she and Scorpius had done a good job of bending around one another, being strong where the other was weak, being lenient where the other was stubborn – and that was what made relationships last. But despite what all the Muggle romance novels she'd read seemed to think, no two people ever fit perfectly together, completely without quarrels or disappointments. For now, Rose told herself she wanted to focus on processing her own feelings before she jumped headfirst into a conversation with Scorpius about it to see where his thoughts on the matter lie. And for now, they weren't quite as comfortable around each other as they had been previously – though again, Rose reminded herself that she hadn't been entirely open and at ease with him since Christmas. Scorpius was a bit less affectionate, and a bit more guarded when he told her about what he was feeling, or the nightmares he'd had. Still, she spent hours sitting under the oak tree and in the library with him and Al, doing their schoolwork and goofing off like before; when Scorpius fell asleep talking to her (because they talked about everything other than the events of that last weekend in May, nowadays) on the window seat in the common room again, she sighed and conjured a blanket and slept there with him. But there was still a tightness in her chest she could never quite get rid of when she spent time with him, as if she were perpetually watching him walk away from her on that Quidditch pitch, upset and dejected, in her mind's eye. It didn't make her want to avoid him, of course. She loved him. But that didn't make it go away, either.


End file.
